The immigration law that has just been adopted in France on 19 December is one of the toughest ever: it represents an “ideological victory” for the far right. The initial bill sought to strike a balance by naturalising undocumented immigrants employed in “short-staffed” jobs. Initially rejected by the opposition, it was largely tightened up by a joint committee and finally adopted by the Senate and the National Assembly. Most of the new measures, which have been denounced by numerous associations, are in line with the anti-immigration programme of the far-right “Rassemblement National” (RN) party: an end to the automatic acquisition of nationality at birth on the territory, and restrictions on access to social benefits, housing and medical assistance for illegal immigrants. These are all provisions that could yet be invalidated by the Constitutional Council… The government, which was elected twice on the promise of a “blockade” against the far right, has nevertheless accepted this new text. Emmanuel Macron talks of a “shield” that the country was lacking. There is an open crisis within the government. The Minister for Health, Aurélien Rousseau, resigned in the aftermath, and he may not be the only one…
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