Paris – Thursday, January 25, 2024 – 5:42 p.m
The French Constitutional Council annulled this Thursday the most controversial measures of President Emmanuel Macron's new immigration law, including the Crime of irregular residence, tightening access to social benefits or setting annual immigration quotas. Restrictions on family reunification, charging a deposit for foreign students or restrictions on so-called land rights are also among the disapproved measures.
“The Constitutional Council condemns 32 articles of the 'Law to control immigration and improve integration', of which there were 86,” announced the Supreme Court, which also amended five other articles of this reform, the adoption of which triggered a serious crisis in the civil service.
The Supreme Court is removing from the text the most important measures that Macron's centrist alliance, which does not have an absolute majority in parliament, had agreed with the right-wing opposition The Republicans (LR) in December to gain their support for this controversial reform.
Crisis in the party
However, the tightening of the law led to a crisis in Macron's party and government, which led to the resignation of a minister and the dismissal of almost all critics of the reform during an executive reshuffle in early January.
Also this Sunday, thousands of people demonstrated against the reform, and their opponents – associations, groups, lawyers and trade unions – denounced on Thursday near the Council a text that “severely violates the rights of exiles”.