Immigration Law and Macron’s Failure

Okaz, Saudi Arabia, December 19

The failure to pass the new immigration law in France, spearheaded by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, is a clear testament to the shortcomings of the French government. The resolution submitted by the Green Party, which refused to discuss the law, was met with approval from a majority of members in the French National Assembly, albeit by a narrow margin of five votes. Notably, the left and right factions both rejected the proposal. While Minister Darmanin had hoped this law would mark the beginning of his presidential campaign after President Macron’s term ends, his aspirations were swiftly quashed due to a miscalculation in political strategy. This setback, however, can be seen as a significant failure on President Macron’s part. During his electoral campaign, Macron had promised to implement a stricter immigration law as a means of countering the far-right movement’s agenda. The irony lies in both the extreme left and the extreme right voting against the law, each for their own distinct reasons. The populist right deems the law too lenient, advocating for the cessation of medical aid for undocumented immigrants as well as the denial of regularization for workers lacking proper residency papers. Conversely, the left rejects the restrictions imposed by the law on residence permits, family reunification, and medical assistance. The French government’s inability to pass this crucial immigration bill is not only a personal failure for President Macron but a broader failure within a politically complex landscape where the absolute majority has been lost. This predicament has led the President to utilize Article 49.3 of the constitution on multiple occasions, which permits the passing of legislation without parliamentary approval. One notable example is the controversial retirement law. The immigration crisis in France has transformed into a hot-button issue for politicians, particularly those on the right and far right. What was once viewed as a social and economic phenomenon now serves as political fodder in the hands of politicians. Immigration has become a tool to stoke nationalistic fervor and propagate fear of the “others,” providing fertile ground for right-wing populist rhetoric, Islamophobia, racism, and fascist ideology. The actual crisis lies in the political strategy of countering the far-right movement, leading to the adoption and spread of its rhetoric. Marine Le Pen, leader of the French extreme right, even questioned the French people, asking why they would settle for “imitations” (referring to center-right candidate Sarkozy) when the original version (herself and her party) is available. Even the socialist leader and former president, François Hollande, came close to aligning with the extreme right in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris attacks, as he made attempts to curtail birthright citizenship. Oddly enough, the labor market in France needs an annual influx of 100,000 to 200,000 immigrants, based on supply and demand. As long as this demand persists, immigration will continue to be a vital aspect of French society, particularly due to the aging population. However, the perpetuation of hateful rhetoric in politics shows no signs of abating, as it remains a lucrative commodity. Unfortunately, divisive politics seem to resonate with a significant portion of the French population. —Rami Al-Khalifa Al-Ali (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)