Macron Makes Compromises to Secure Approval of Immigration Overhaul

 Emmanuel Macron, the French President, has secured a legislative victory with the approval of an immigration overhaul bill, which faced increased resistance from the right wing. Despite the rare support for the bill from the far right, this move has sparked a crisis within Macron’s party, which was founded on his promise to combat populism. The bill, which was toughened under right-wing pressure, was passed by the French Parliament late Tuesday. This significant development has the potential to trigger a political crisis for Macron, who has been elected twice on a platform of centrist ideals to curb far-right populism.

In a rare display of disagreement, 37 members of Mr. Macron’s party opposed the bill or refrained from voting, while 22 lawmakers from other parties within his coalition did the same. Conversely, in an unusual move, the far right expressed its endorsement of the government’s proposals, with all 88 of its lawmakers casting their votes in favor.

The bill introduces one-year, temporary residency permits for skilled workers in fields facing labor shortages under certain circumstances. It simplifies the asylum process while also imposing stricter regulations on foreigners wishing to work, reside, or study in France.

Furthermore, it stipulates that foreigners can only become eligible for state subsidies such as housing aid or family allowances after having resided in France for several months or even years. It also makes it more challenging for immigrants to bring their family members legally and places requirements on foreign students to make payments for the new visa fees.

A week after the lower house unexpectedly rejected a previous version of the bill, deemed too harsh by the left and too lenient by the right and far right, the vote took place. To resolve the deadlock, Mr. Macron’s government appealed to conservative lawmakers with tougher measures, provoking anger from the left, and some of Macron’s allies, and eliciting a triumphant declaration from France’s prominent far-right party, the National Rally. These compromises have left Mr. Macron in a highly uncomfortable position, caught between a brewing internal revolt and what the French news media have dubbed a “kiss of death” from the far-right National Rally party and its leader, Marine Le Pen.

Mr. Macron’s government was shaken by the vote, revealing divisions within his party. It remained unclear how he planned to bolster his majority after a tumultuous day. Speculation swirled that several ministers would resign if the bill passed.

In an apparent effort to ease tensions, Gérald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, declared before the outcome that “there will be no bill if there is no majority without the National Rally.”

This move was seen as indicating that Mr. Macron would only implement the new law if it could have potentially passed even without the far right’s support, as was the case on Tuesday, and that he would otherwise seek a new parliamentary debate.

After the vote, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne declared on social media platform X, "The majority has stood united. The National Rally's attempt has failed. Tonight, only the public good has emerged victorious."

The National Rally party has consistently advocated for giving preference, or even exclusive access, to government subsidies and aid for French citizens, while restricting or denying access to such benefits for foreigners.

Following a compromise reached by a joint committee of senators and representatives on Tuesday, Ms. Le Pen, the far-right leader known for her anti-immigration stance, commented that it was "a very small step - there is still much to be done."

Lawmakers from a coalition of Socialist and Green parties in the lower house criticized the government before the vote. André Chassaigne, a representative, pointed out that Mr. Macron's election campaign had promised to protect citizens from extreme right-wing ideologies.

"Today, you have shifted from being a shield to becoming a stepping stone," remarked Mr. Chassaigne.

The government dismissed the criticism, arguing that the inadequate implementation of immigration reform had contributed to the rise of far-right ideology.

"The lack of solutions is the reason behind the growth of extremist forces," stated Mr. Darmanin, the interior minister.

To ensure the safety of French citizens, the government has announced stricter immigration regulations, including simplified deportation procedures for foreign criminals.

While Mr. Macron's controversial pension reform raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 and faced widespread disapproval, recent surveys suggest that approximately 60-80% of French citizens favor tougher immigration regulations resembling those proposed in his legislation.

The government positioned the immigration proposal, which was introduced more than a year ago, as one of Mr. Macron's signature "at the same time" bills - an act of centrism aiming to achieve equilibrium between resolve and inclusivity. However, opposition parties roundly rebuffed it.
Utilizing a constitutional measure, analogous to the one utilized for implementing pension reform, permitted the government to advance with immigration legislation in the lower house without requiring any vote. Nonetheless, this maneuver was decried as an authoritarian tactic and thusly subverted by the administration's aim of facilitating democratic passage of said bill instead.

To achieve this, it garnered backing from the 62 Republican lawmakers who hold conservative views in the lower house.

Aligned more and more with the far-right stance on immigration, the Republicans attempted to intensify the legislation by minimizing temporary residency permits for laborers in shortage fields as an exception rather than a given entitlement.

On Tuesday, Éric Ciotti, the leader of the Republican party informed journalists that they have been struggling with this matter for months; he even added years to it.

However, according to labor unions, migrant advocacy organizations, and humanitarian aid associations such as them, implementing actions like imposing fines on undocumented migrants could impede the integration of foreign nationals. They also believe that limiting access to benefits is a violation of France's universal social model.

A self-governing ombudsman who oversees civil and human rights, and is regarded as the defender of justice in the nation, notified Parliament that the proposed legislation "gravely undermines our Republic's cornerstone principle - equality and non-discrimination."

Aboubacar Dembele, an undocumented worker who entered France in 2018, stated that "human rights, asylum laws, and immigrant rights are negated by the law" following a brief protest near the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon.