The French Parliament voted on the controversial immigration law. With the issuance of this law, the government wanted to speed up asylum procedures and allow illegal immigrants to work sooner. At the same time, “dangerous” migrants will be deported more quickly and family reunification will become more difficult.
Politicians from left to right criticized the law. Some people think the law is too strict. Others called for tougher measures to limit the influx of asylum seekers. The far-right Marine Le Pen expressed her happiness at refusing to vote on the proposal, because it protects the French people from the “wave of immigration.”
Radical leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon believes that Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin should resign after the failure.
Darmanin also offered his resignation after the vote, but President Emmanuel Macron did not accept it. Macron wants the minister to present new ideas to remove obstacles to the law. The vote represents a major setback for the French president.
There is also speculation in French media that the government will not change the law. Macron can bypass Parliament through an article in the constitution.
He’s done it before to get a controversial pension law passed, so he could do it again.
It is a powerful tool and is therefore also called the “nuclear option.” In reforming the retirement system, this choice led to the submission of two motions of no confidence in the government. That is why the question is whether Macron now wants to use it again.
