Immigration bill: Macron wants single text before summer

It’s a sensitive topic that the Macron camp hasn’t finished tearing its hair out about yet. How to pass, without an absolute majority, an immigration bill designed to expedite the Obligations to Leave the French Territory (OQTF) by reducing the number of appeals? The text also aims to help legalize workers in hard-to-find occupations (food service dishwashers, repairmen, etc.) More than 7,000 people are affected, according to unofficial figures from the Department of Labor. Much more, according to opponents of the text, who are afraid of “draught”.

After In the chaos of the parliamentary debate on pensions, the government decided at the end of March to split the bill, which was supposed to be considered at the session in the Senate, and “cut” it to study separately, the repressive part (which speaks to the right). And the integration part (which might tempt the part on the left). The idea was that this last part would be supported by a parliamentary initiative (bill) and not by the government. The history of finding the majority from start to finish compared to the original project.

The review schedule has been suspended. Gérald Darmanin insisted that this site be placed at the top of the list… But others, on the left wing, wanted to shelve the subject indefinitely. In the name of appeasement. “I realized that Bourne was determined to pass on the immigration text,” the majority adviser even promotes.

Shadow 49.3

Therefore, this is not the desire of the head of state. In his dialogue with Parisien-Aujourd’hui readers in France on the occasion of the first anniversary of his re-election, Emmanuel Macron calls for an “effective and fair” law contained in a “single text”. So, go through 49.3 if the majority doesn’t show up? Carefully, the Head of State does not specify his position on this matter. But it doesn’t rule it out either.

So what happened? “Everyone was in favor of cutting the immigration text after the debate in Parliament on pensions, but we realized that this is not a good idea,” explains a government adviser. There the trend is to have only one text. This is, in any case, a debate within the executive about the method.

On Monday, April 10, during a meeting at the Elysee Palace, some ministers, including Gerald Darmanin, said they were ready to use 49.3 if necessary. An option that annoys Elizabeth Bourne. Because the prime minister has pledged to no longer swing the 49.3 as much as possible. This is what she said on March 26 in an interview with AFP, where she confirmed that her “method (…) for the future” was “not 49.3, except for financial texts.”

One of his relatives jokes: “Gerald Darmanin has just changed his doctrine to 49.3.” The Minister of the Interior was the only member of the government who opposed its use until the last minute, during the vote on the Pensions Bill in the Assembly.

Avoid Retirement Chaos

One thing is certain: Emmanuel Macron is convinced that if the topic of immigration is not addressed before the summer, there will no longer be a political window of opportunity. The topic is all the more sensitive because it itself can break the majority. The left wing does not intend to reduce the text to its repressive part.

“We shouldn’t go too far to the right for the group. Take off the bidding in suspense: it won’t work. The balance must be maintained at some point,” the Renaissance MP insists. Another adds: “There are some who absolutely want the full text, but the restrictions are extremely strong and there can be no question of abandoning any ambition of the text between the legalization of workers and the expulsion of foreigners…”

Uncertain landing, shadow 49.3, successive delays (text review for the first time this summer has already been postponed), tension in the majority: the ingredients of the immigration debate are reminiscent of those who spun mayonnaise in retirement. So the next few days will be crucial. Elizabeth Bourne is due to unveil on Wednesday, April 26, a legislative roadmap for the coming months. The issue of immigration will be watched very closely throughout the political class.