The immigration bill presented Wednesday in the Council of Ministers

The executive opens a new explosive site on Wednesday, in the midst of a pension battle, with the presentation in the Council of Ministers of a bill on immigration which is largely aimed, from right to left. The day after another day of massive mobilization against the pension reform, the Head of State intends to maintain the tempo of government action and his second five-year term.

And, if possible, create a diversion. “Immigration remains a major subject of concern for the French”, outlines a framework of the majority. The text provides for a series of measures to facilitate expulsions, especially of “delinquent” foreigners, a reform of the right to asylum and an integration component, in particular the regularization of undocumented workers in “shortage jobs” (catering, construction ..) where employers are struggling to hire.

“We need firmness and humanity (…) We cannot welcome everyone”, summed up Emmanuel Macron in December in The Parisian, while calling for “faster and better integration” of those who obtain asylum. The bill is carried by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, for its security component, and that of Labour, Olivier Dussopt, for the more economic and social part. Both will be present at the report of the Council of Ministers, at the end of the morning, alongside government spokesperson Olivier Véran.

“Radically unbalanced”

Intended to seduce both the Republican right, which is increasingly radical on the subject, and the left, which denounces the reception conditions for foreigners, the text ended up angering everyone… and could need to trigger the constitutional weapon of 49.3, which allows its adoption without a vote.

The majority itself appears divided, between supporters of the right wing, ready to harden it further if necessary, and elected representatives from the left, who see red lines in it. “It is a radically unbalanced text since it goes very far to the left, and very far to the right”, concedes a Renaissance deputy. “It will also make it possible to take public opinion to witness what should be done,” he wants to believe.

The text comes the day after a double observation: an increase of 31% in asylum applications (137,000) in 2022 and 15% in expulsions (15,400), these nevertheless remaining lower by a third than those of 2019 , before Covid-19.

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