Between them, too many bodies in the closet. Too many betrayals or broken agreements. Relations between the government and Les Républicains (LR) have been marked by the seal of distrust since the legislative elections. The executive doubts this elusive partner. The right feels mistreated by a power that wants it dead. The constitutional revision to remove land rights in Mayotte revives these feelings. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal defended this Tuesday, February 13, a “necessary” and “awaited by the Mahorais” reform, faced with massive irregular immigration. Here are the two rivals forced to dance a new tango. What if, this time, no one stepped on the other’s toes?
To eliminate land rights in Mayotte, the executive has chosen to revise the fundamental law. This right was certainly introduced on the island by the Collomb law of 2018. The government, however, fears that the Constitutional Council will censor a total revocation of the right in the name of the principle of indivisibility of the Republic. Might as well not take any risks. The National Assembly and the Senate must vote on the text in the same terms, before its adoption by a 3/5 majority of parliamentarians meeting in Congress. The Elysée favors the presentation of a constitutional bill dedicated to Mayotte, while other revisions (IVG, New Caledonia, Corsica) are on track. “It will be a different Congress for each modification,” assures the boss of the Renaissance group Sylvain Maillard.
“This opens Act II of the immigration law”
The right has been calling for this measure for several years. François Baroin, then Minister of Overseas Affairs, was considering it in 2005. His successor Christian Estrosi outlined a similar reform in 2008, without following through. The right is condemned to consistency. But she is greedy for business and will defend other constitutional proposals during parliamentary debates. The party, humiliated by the partial censorship of its immigration law, wishes to take its revenge. Offer yourself a political platform… and play on the nerves of the majority. “Why limit the limitation of land rights to Mayotte and not to the national territory?, notes Eric Ciotti. We must move on to other subjects which deprive our country of its ability to choose who it welcomes.” A shower of amendments is expected. “It opens Act II of the immigration law,” deciphers a Renaissance deputy.
These initiatives are doomed to failure due to lack of a majority in the Assembly. Could the right then derail the constitutional revision? The management is suddenly less forthcoming. Questioned by L’Express, the boss of LR deputies Olivier Marleix dodged this question during a press point. “We’ll see…” Eric Ciotti eludes with a smile. It would be a shame to play poker with the cards face down.
“Need explanation”
On the right, no one actually imagines such a scenario. The LR group defends this measure and includes the deputy for Mayotte Mansour Kamardine in its ranks. The right would be the first victim of a political coup mounted on the back of Mayotte. “We are not going to have fun blackmailing the Mahorais situation,” warns Pas-de-Calais MP Pierre-Henri Dumont. “We are not about negotiation, but about urgency.” “It would be difficult to vote against,” adds Lot elected official Aurélien Pradié, who went to Mayotte in September. LR number 3 Annie Genevard admits: “What they are going through is so serious that we have to come to terms with it.” The examination of the text in the Senate is finally not a political Everest. LR does not have an absolute majority and will have difficulty adopting other migration provisions with its centrist ally.
The terrain appears clear. But beware of the stones lying around. Land law was on the menu this Tuesday at the group meeting of Renaissance deputies. Several deputies, like Sacha Houlié or Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, were surprised by the announcement of this revision by Gérald Darmanin. The immigration law has fractured the majority, there is no need to repeat the experience.
The group’s boss Sylvain Maillard therefore wishes to have time for discussion with the Minister of the Interior. “There is a need for an explanation,” he confides. “We want to be sure that this revision is effective. We have already restricted land rights in Mayotte, that has not changed anything. There would be nothing worse to do a revision and have the Mahorais say that nothing has changed.” The Parisian elected official takes care to de-ideologize the debate and play the pragmatism card on a passionate subject. A Renaissance MP analyzes: “Some people say that we could have discussed it before it came out like that. But I don’t anticipate any big difficulty at this stage within the majority.” The words are weighed. When it comes to immigration, you shouldn’t swear by anything.
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