The adoption of the immigration bill is already arousing the ire of everyone. After eighteen months of reversals, Parliament definitively approved the text on Tuesday, December 19, the deputies of Les Républicains and the Rassemblement National having rallied to the majority text.
A parliamentary victory for Emmanuel Macron but which opens a deep divide within the political class – and his own majority – and society. Departments, unions, French artists and even high school students are protesting against the application of the text.
Act I: The press release from 32 departments
Several communities led by the left have announced that they will not apply certain measures of the immigration law. In a press release published Wednesday, December 20, 32 left-wing departments announced their refusal to apply the tightening of the conditions for payment to foreigners of the Personalized Autonomy Allowance (APA) provided for by the new law. This now imposes a waiting period of five years for foreigners in a legal situation who do not work, and of thirty months for others to benefit from the aid.
“We, Presidents of Left-wing Departments, consider that this law is a serious attack on the fundamental rights of people of foreign nationality, in addition to being contrary to the values of the Republic and the humanist values that we defend,” they said. writing.
In reaction, the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, criticized the rebelliousness of these departments on Thursday morning. “The law imposes itself on everyone, especially when you are elected by the French people,” he declared. And to continue: it’s “very nice to put your hand on your heart, to say I will opposebut there is a democracy […] It is good that everyone respects the decisions of popular sovereignty, especially elected officials.”
Act II: The platform of French artists
In a column published this Thursday in theHumanity, many artists have denounced the immigration law, calling on President Emmanuel Macron not to promulgate it. “The immigration law, a real stepping stone to the nationalist ideology of the extreme right, is a betrayal of (the) solemn commitment made to the French” by Emmanuel Macron to block the extreme right, they believe. “This law of hatred and division poses a serious threat to the fate of our fellow human beings, foreigners or immigrants, and therefore to the cohesion of our society,” they add.
“Faced with this danger, we, citizens concerned about living together, call on the Head of State to pull himself together. Do not promulgate this dangerous text!”, they call. The text was signed by more than a thousand people, including the Nobel Prize winner for literature Annie Ernaux, the actors Jean-Pierre Darroussin and Laure Calamy, the former footballer Eric Cantona and the writer Alice Zeniter signed, as well as trade unionists like the general secretary of the CGT Sophie Binet.
Act III: Ciotti challenges Macron on the application of the law
The head of the Republicans, Éric Ciotti, called on Friday Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne to “solemnly” commit to applying the law on immigration adopted by Parliament and questioned her on the measures she intends to take against the departments who would refuse it.
Emmanuel Macron, “you and several members of your government are already announcing publicly that several strong measures which appear in this law […] are contrary to the Constitution or may be reviewed,” wrote Eric Ciotti in a letter addressed to the head of government, a copy of which AFP obtained.
“Can you make a solemn commitment that you will enforce the new immigration law?” he asks, recalling that the text was voted on Tuesday “by the representatives of the French people, including those of your own majority” . In the same letter, the deputy for Alpes-Maritimes “draws the attention” of Elisabeth Borne to the revolt of the 32 left-wing departments.
Act IV: The CGT calls for “civil disobedience”
The general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, called Thursday at the microphone of RMC for “civil disobedience” in the face of the law on immigration adopted Tuesday in the National Assembly, which calls into question, according to her, “all our republican principles. She denounces a law “which “deeply calls into question all our republican principles” and “rolls out the red carpet for the extreme right”.
In discussion with other trade union organizations, associations and personalities, the CGT wishes to organize in the coming weeks “large-scale initiatives to allow those who do not recognize themselves in this “lepenized” France to show their determination to uphold the values of solidarity,” added the manager.
In a joint press release, an inter-union CFDT, CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires and Unsa condemned a “discriminatory” text which “deeply calls into question the republican principles of equality and solidarity”.