Immigration law: Rouen, Limoges, Caen… new demonstrations organized this Thursday

Protest takes to the streets. Following the parliamentary vote on immigration legislation, hundreds of people demonstrated against the legislation in several cities on Wednesday evening. In Rennes, demonstrators, including many young people, according to AFP, marched peacefully to the town hall and then to Place Sainte-Anne shortly after 6:30 p.m., shouting “repeal, repeal the Macron-Le Pen law” or “These are not immigrants , of which there are too many, are Darmanin and the fascists.”

The main trade unions, as well as the main left parties, called for this rally against Macroni’s “capitulation to the far right”. Between 1,800 and 2,500 people took part in this demonstration, France Bleu points out. “I believe that this law contradicts all the foundations of democracy,” explained a participant quoted by AFP.

Similar demonstrations took place, in particular, in Dijon, Besançon, Chambery and Grenoble. In Lille, at least 300 people, including many activists from left-wing organizations, gathered on Wednesday evening at the Place de la République, an AFP journalist noted. West France counted about fifty people gathered at Saint-Brieuc.

Rouen, Limoges, Strasbourg… this Thursday

The protest must not weaken this Thursday. New meetings are planned, for example in Rouen (at 18:00 in front of the courthouse) or in Caen (at 18:00 at the university). at the call of trade unions. In Limoges, a meeting is scheduled at the prefecture at 18:30 to protest against the “racist government law.”

On Thursday morning, the FSE student union blocked part of the University of Strasbourg, it reported on its X (formerly Twitter) account. He also convenes a meeting at Republic Square at 19:00.

Number one CGT Sophie Binet called for “civil disobedience” this Thursday in the face of an immigration law that she said calls “all our republican principles” into question. “The CGT wants to ensure large-scale initiatives to mobilize those who do not recognize themselves in this molded France,” sums up the trade unionist.

The text was voted on Tuesday evening after it had been largely revised by the Senate (with a right-wing majority) and the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The right did much to strengthen the text that the government had originally sought after lengthy negotiations. In particular, it achieved the establishment of annual migration quotas and stricter conditions for family reunification (a foreigner must prove a length of stay in the country of twenty-four months and a certain level of resources).

The Constitutional Council, captured by Emmanuel Macron, the left and the associations, is considering the text published this Wednesday. He could reject some measures, while Elisabeth Born and Gérald Darmanin themselves admitted that some of them might be contrary to the French Constitution. The right calls for “respect for the vote” of parliament.