French National Assembly rejects Macron’s immigration bill
French lawmakers sent the government’s immigration bill back for revision, without even debating it in the lower house of the Parliament, thus dealing a blow to President Emmanuel Macron’s attempts to pass laws without a majority vote, Reuters reports
Far-right party leader Marine Le Pen and many conservatives joined forces to reject the bill on the first day of its consideration by the National Assembly.
“The immigration bill has been a key plank of Macron’s attempts to show he can be tougher on law and order issues while keeping France’s doors open to foreign workers who can help the economy. But short of a majority in Parliament, he has struggled to pass a bill that has strict provisions disliked by left-wing lawmakers and more liberal aspects criticised by some conservatives and the far right,” the publication reads.
The government has introduced legislation that is supposed to make it easier to deport foreign criminals. One provision lifts a ban on expelling those migrants who arrived in France before the age of 13.
Other provisions that have sparked heated debate include preserving the right of non-EU migrants to free medical coverage in France, and the government’s push to make it easier to legalise workers in labour-short industries such as cafes and restaurants.
