French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday: to assume » the adoption of a harsh law on immigration, which caused an open crisis in its majority, denying that it is of far-right inspiration and assuring that the French ” were waiting ” this text.
2 mins
The law, the 30th in four decades in France, is “a shield that we lacked”, immediately declared President Macron, invited on France 5 the day after the adoption of the text supported by the right and the far right , and which fractured its majority, notably causing the resignation of Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau.
“ I respect » his decision, said the head of state, before insisting on the “ responsibility » to govern. “ These responsibilities oblige us. We must take responsibility for what was done yesterday, we must also calm people down “, he said. “ Our compatriots were waiting for this law “, affirmed the president, believing that it aimed “ very clearly » to discourage the arrival of illegal immigrants. There is a ” immigration problem » in France, but « we are not overwhelmed by immigration “, he said.
He then defended a text “ useful » which allows “better integration through work” and will allow “ regularization from 7,000 to 10 000 people “.
“ The entire text does not betray our values »
Emmanuel Macron, however, recognized that he “does not didn’t like » certain provisions of the law, which will be submitted to the Constitutional Council, citing in particular the deposit which will now be requested from foreign students, and which has sparked an outcry from several major schools.
The president vigorously rejected the idea that the provisions of the law are far-right inspired. During months of legislative drama, the text was considerably toughened by the right and the far right. The head of deputies of the National Rally Marine Le Pen, whose party decided at the last moment to vote for the text, also welcomed a “ ideological victory » and measures devoting the “ national priority », pillar of his ideology.
Read alsoFrance: what is contained in the draft immigration law adopted in Parliament
The text considerably restricts the payment of social benefits, provides for established migration quotas, calls into question the automaticity of land law, reestablishes the “crime of illegal residence” … “ The entire text does not betray our values », Said the French president who was re-elected in 2022 ahead of Marine Le Pen on the promise of blocking the far right. However, to prevent the RN from coming to power, “we must address the problems that fuel it,” he argued.
(With AFP)