The debate on immigration resurfaced last April, notably following the announcement by the French president concerning the text of the new law. As a reminder, Emmanuel Macron has announced that he wants a fair and effective law before the summer of 2023.
However, a few days after this announcement, the Prime Minister in France, in this case Elisabeth Borne, announced that the parliament will not see this immigration law until next autumn. And this, judging that the “current conditions of the country do not allow to launch a debate which risks dividing France“.
French government reconsiders decision to postpone immigration law until fall
The French government finally decided to present a bill on immigration in July. This decision was taken during a meeting at Matignon on May 9. Where, Borne asked the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, in collaboration with Olivier Dussopt, Minister of Labour, and Franck Riester, Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament, to carry out consultations on the subject over the next few weeks.
These consultations, which will last a month, aim to prepare a bill on immigration which will be presented to Parliament in the fall. The objective is to find a consensus on the measures to be taken in the area of immigration, and to present them to Parliament in the autumn for consideration.
This decision constitutes a reversal of the situation for the government, because the Prime Minister had announced on April 26 that there was no majority to vote for such a text. She also stressed that now was not the time to start a debate on a subject that could divide the country.
The new immigration law, a hope for business leaders in France
This postponement of the immigration law has aroused the disappointment of certain business leaders, who had placed a lot of hope in this law. For them, immigration reform is a central issue for France’s economic development and competitiveness. They hope that the consultations will lead to measures that will meet their expectations.
The government has therefore decided to hold consultations to find a consensus on the measures to be taken in the area of immigration. It is a question of defining an immigration policy which is at the same time realistic, fair and respectful of the rights of migrants. The ministers concerned will have to work in collaboration with associations for the defense of the rights of migrants, trade unions and representatives of employers to find solutions that meet the concerns of each.
As a reminder, the draft of the new immigration law in France includes several axes. In addition to strengthening the application of the obligations to leave French territory, the text of this new law also aims to allocate residence permits for undocumented foreigners working in shortage occupations. And this, in order to frame the labor crisis in the country.
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>> Immigration France: Elisabeth Borne postpones the new law in the fall
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