France is changing its immigration policy: The new Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau of the Republicans (LR) announced that deportations would be massively increased and illegal entries stopped. “I will present concrete proposals in the coming weeks,” said the 63-year-old minister in an interview with the newspaper “Le Figaro.” Earlier, he had already stated that mass immigration was not an opportunity for France. “I will take all necessary measures to reduce immigration.” He is preparing an urgent meeting with the prefects of the ten departments (administrative districts) with the highest immigration numbers and will instruct them to “deport more and issue fewer residence permits.” He expects them to identify shortcomings and gaps in immigration control. Last year, 470,000 people entered France via residence permits and asylum applications, equivalent to the population of the city of Toulouse. “Who wants to make us believe that with such an influx, we can reasonably integrate, house, and educate these people properly?” Retailleau asked. He stated that he was not taking office to give the appearance of doing something but to truly act. It doesn’t always require new laws, as the interior minister has a wide range of actions available through regulations.
The leader of the Rassemblement National (RN), Jordan Bardella, previously stated that the new government is “under the observation” of his party. Prime Minister Michel Barnier dismissed this claim, saying that his government is “under the observation of all French citizens.” It would be judged by its results. This aligns with the credo that the 73-year-old prime minister conveyed to his ministers during the first cabinet meeting: they should “act more than speak” and listen to the French people. “Good ideas come from everywhere,” said Barnier. On the TV channel France 2, he emphasized that there will be “much more strictness” in immigration policy. Barnier spoke of a “break” that the French people expect. The abolition of generous state healthcare for illegal immigrants is not taboo for him. Recently, the Constitutional Council had prevented a restriction on medical services due to procedural errors in January. Interior Minister Retailleau indicated that he intends to tighten the laws again. “I say to all parliamentarians: We must not be indifferent to the desperation of the often modestly living French citizens, who have to bear the consequences of the loss of control in immigration policy,” said the interior minister. He will give clear and strict instructions to police officers and officials in the future. He cited Denmark, Italy, and Sweden as models.
Even the German government has understood that it must show determination in border controls. He is examining whether France can act in the same way. Retailleau hinted that he wants to work more closely with the German government. Thanks to the “tougher positions of European countries like Germany,” one could “form a sort of alliance.” The interior minister advocated for revising the EU’s so-called “Return Directive.” Additionally, he plans a deportation agreement with Algeria. The long-standing Republican Senate group leader has long been critical of mass immigration. The French TV and radio archive INA has compiled an overview of his statements on the subject. As early as 1997, he said that assimilation was becoming less and less successful. Many new citizens from Africa are “people who do not come to become French but to take advantage of social benefits.” Most recently, he criticized the “brutalization of French society,” which he sees as a direct consequence of uncontrolled mass immigration. Retailleau expressed his belief that France is too attractive in terms of access to healthcare, education, and social services and, therefore, draws many immigrants. “We are too attractive compared to other European countries,” he said on television. Under his leadership, the most recent immigration law was tightened last December. However, the national priority that Retailleau wanted to grant French citizens in social benefits was thwarted by objections from the Constitutional Council.
The interior minister now wants to make another attempt. Thirty-five legislative tightenings were rejected by the Constitutional Council due to procedural errors. These errors could be corrected. It remains unclear whether the new interior minister also intends to break with the tradition of birthright citizenship (Ius Soli), under which all children born on French soil acquire the right to citizenship. So far, birthright citizenship has only been restricted on the island of Mayotte to curb the influx of pregnant women from neighboring islands. The maternity ward on Mayotte has the highest birth rate in all of France. When he was still in the Senate, Retailleau praised the restrictions imposed for Mayotte as exemplary for the rest of France. The interior minister has announced that he intends to reintroduce the offense of illegal stay. This would allow people who harbor illegal immigrants to be prosecuted. Green Party chairwoman Marine Tondelier decried the government’s “humiliating message.” Several ministers had “expressed racist positions.” “The interior minister’s vocabulary is that of the far-right,” said Pascal Brice of the aid organization Acteurs de la solidarité.
