According to information from franceinfo, the new Prime Minister is considering re-establishing a Ministry of Immigration.
Appointed after weeks of suspense, the new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, now has the difficult task of putting together a government. Who should be put in charge of the Interior? Foreign Affairs? Education? And why not… Immigration? While the time is more for rumours and consultations, franceinfo reveals, this Monday, September 9, that the new tenant of Matignon would consider re-establishing a ministry dedicated to this particularly sensitive subject. Re-establishing, because a previous Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Solidarity Development had already been created in 2007, during the mandate of Nicolas Sarkozy, before being abandoned three years later, in 2010.
A job creation as an outstretched hand to the far right? From his first interview on Friday evening on TF1, the new Prime Minister had not hidden his ambitions regarding this subject as divisive as it is delicate. On the set of the 8pm news, Michel Barnier had thus revealed that he wanted to “control immigration in a rigorous and humanist manner”. Judging that “there is still the feeling that the borders are sieves and that migratory flows are not controlled”, the new tenant of Matignon had very clearly promised “concrete measures” and assured his desire to find “the right solutions to the problems that concern the French”. Even insisting: “And that is part of it!”
“Taking back control of our migration policy”
While this position will certainly appeal to the voters of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, it is in no way new. In 2021, when he was a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2022 presidential election, Michel Barnier was already advocating the establishment of a moratorium on immigration for three to five years, with the aim of “taking back control of our migration policy”. He advocated limiting and controlling immigration.
“For the moment, nothing has been decided” and “discussions are continuing”, they assured us Monday evening from Matignon. But the return of a Ministry of Immigration would be a strong symbol and a harbinger of reforms. Like the first of the “concrete measures” promised on TF1, finally. “A text on immigration was voted, but the Constitutional Council censored around thirty articles, which were nevertheless levers for action”, deplored on this point the President of the Senate and Republican Gérard Larcher, Monday evening in the columns of Figaro. And to let go: “We will have to take them back without delay.”