Immigration law: defeat for the French government due to unholy alliance Major concern for Kremlin critics: still no sign of life from Navalny

The French government has suffered a defeat in the National Assembly on the controversial immigration issue. A majority of MPs voted in favor of a motion rejecting the centrist government’s bill before the plenary debate on Monday.

The narrow majority of 270 against 265 votes came about because, in addition to left-wing forces, conservatives and right-wing nationalists also supported the Greens’ proposal.

However, the controversial plan of the government under Head of State Emmanuel Macron is not off the table. Although the government could withdraw the draft, it could also submit it to the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament. The government could also convene a committee of senators and representatives to discuss the project.

As a result of the vote, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin offered his resignation to President Macron. This is normal, Darmanin said on TF1. Macron rejected the offer and demanded that he be presented with a proposal on Tuesday on how the bill should proceed.

Macron’s centrist camp has no longer had an absolute majority in the French National Assembly since the parliamentary elections in June 2022 and is therefore dependent on opposition votes for their projects. The fact that a majority has now emerged against the government camp is a blow to them. Interior Minister Darmanin had previously tried to sway the civilian camp, both with pithy words and with concessions such as a reform of medical care for illegal migrants.

The government says it wants to use the proposed law to control immigration and improve integration. To this end, she wants to give migrants who previously worked without a residence document in jobs with a staff shortage a temporary residence permit. At the same time, the government wants to be able to force a number of previously protected migrants to leave the country and expand deportations. (sda/dpa)