French President Emmanuel Macron and his government are regrouping after the National Assembly rejected his flagship immigration bill without even bringing it up for debate. Macron has asked for the legislative process to continue, and refused to accept the resignation of Interior minister Gerald Darmanin who offered to step down over his “failure” to get the legislation passed.
A majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly adopted a motion to reject the government’s proposed immigration bill Monday night, cutting short debate over the legislation that tried to balance Macron’s need to show he can be tough on law-and-order issues, while keeping France’s doors open to foreign workers essential to keeping the economy running.
After its passage through the Senate, which is controlled by the right, the bill leaned towards enforcement, with an annual quota for the number of arrivals to be set by parliament.
It would have sped up asylum procedures and grant legal status to undocumented workers in sectors with labour shortages, but it would also have also made it easier to deport foreigners considered dangerous.
One provision would remove a ban on expelling foreigners who arrived in France before the age of 13, as was the case for the radicalised Russian-born young man who killed a French teacher in October.
Right joins Greens to reject the bill
Lawmakers ignored Darmanin’s pleading not to vote on the motion to reject the bill that was proposed by the Greens, and voted 270 to 265, including members of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and many party from the conservative Les Republicains.
The move halted debate on the 2,6000 amendments that had been proposed, and forces the government to reconsider.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne held an emergency meeting late Monday with several ministers and the leaders of the groups in the National Assembly who back the government, which lacks an absolute majority to pass legislation on tis own.
Darmanin to stay in the government
Earlier Macron rejected Darmanin’s offer to resign, and reportedly asked him to offer proposals to break the deadlock and push the legislation through.
“It is a failure, obviously,” Darmanin told TF1 television, after offering his resignation, and he denounced what he called an “unholy alliance” of the left and far-right to vote the legislation down.
The bill could now be sent back to the Senate, or the government could decide to withdraw the text, which is unlikely.
It can also use special executive powers to force its adoption without a vote, which would be a turn from Macron’s previous offer to put the issue of immigration to a referendum.
(with newswires)
