In addition to social problems, migration, xenophobia and racial discrimination are among the many problems facing France. After the election of the country’s new prime minister, these issues become more prominent. Especially the issue of migration. The government has already announced that October will be the month of radical measures in the fight against illegal migration.
“Caspian” Newspaper article dedicated to French immigration policy.
Deportation of illegal immigrants will be accelerated
The new law, called “Darminin”, includes measures to tighten control over the deportation of illegal immigrants. The law also provides for the deportation of foreigners who have committed crimes from France.
Bruno Retayo, new Minister of the Interior, announced the strict measures that will be taken regarding migrants. He ordered the French overseas department of Mayotte, a group of islands near Madagascar, to speed up the deportation of illegal immigrants from Africa. Asylum seekers in France will be sent by plane to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). If this experiment is successful, in the future it could be applied to all those who arrive illegally in the European part of the country. The minister also announced that negotiations will be held with several African countries, especially Rwanda and Burundi. A bigger problem for France is illegal immigrants arriving on the country’s mainland through the Mediterranean Sea. Retayo aims to solve the problem radically.
“This law is a defeat for France”
These decisions brought discontent with the government to its peak in the country. Protests against the new law have increased in the capital, Paris. Protesters demand that President Emmanuel Macron not sign a radical new immigration document. According to the information, the new government intends to promote a tougher immigration policy at the European Union (EU) level to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants into society.
Even former president François Hollande is among those who are unhappy with the project. He said the law adopted to tighten immigration rules is a defeat for France. “When a new law with unconstitutional provisions is passed, it cannot be considered progress,” Hollande said.
The discontent was so serious that Macron was forced to hastily declare that the French authorities were not against the immigrants.
A secret agreement between the president and the minister?
This is the first example of misunderstanding in Michel Barnier’s cabinet of ministers, formed on September 19. It should be noted that the new government is a minority government. The coalition was made up of the pro-presidential bloc “Together for the Republic”, the third force in parliament by number of deputies, and several center-right factions. For example, Retayo has been among the Republicans since 2015. Perhaps there is no misunderstanding between the president and the head of the Ministry of the Interior. It is no exception that Macron, aware of the magnitude of the problem, wants to implement far-right measures with the help of a “mandatory” government and at the same time avoid criticism from left-wing forces. In particular, the situation of illegal immigrants in Mayotte is worse than in other parts of France. The islands are small, far from Europe and have their own problems. In Mayotte there is a shortage of drinking water due to the drought. Water should also be provided to thousands of illegal immigrants. The right-wing magazine “Valeurs actuelles” writes that it is no longer possible to detain them in a special center or even in the main prison. According to the local authority, overcrowding in the former is 245% and in the latter is 151.6%. In general, French prisons also have an average of 126.4% overcrowding.
A new law will be drafted
Amid growing protests, the government will propose the adoption of a new migration law in the country in 2025. This was stated by government spokesperson Maud Brejon. In 2025, “a new migration law will be needed,” Brejon, a representative of the new government, told BFMTV. According to a government spokesperson, the new text will include Retayo’s proposal to “help extend the duration of detention of dangerous illegal aliens in administrative detention centers,” which would increase the maximum duration of detention from 90 days to 210 days. Brejon also noted that the next text could include the legalization of illegal workers in regions with severe labor shortages. The text of the law will be discussed with the parliamentary groups of the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Union has made its refusal to distrust Barnier’s government conditional on the drafting of a new immigration law. The latest immigration law, which came into effect in January 2024, has been the subject of intense debate. Macron’s party, which then had a relative majority, was able to approve the law thanks to the abstention of the far-right National Union.
Thus, France is trying to solve migration problems with aggressive and strict measures. He hopes to drive people out of the country with repressive measures. But will this solve the problems? It seems that this will not be easy to achieve.
