Title: Draft law on immigration in France: the challenges of the examination in the Senate
Introduction :
Examination of the new bill on immigration in France begins this Monday in the Senate, marking an important step for Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. This text, which arouses strong controversy, will be submitted to a vote by senators, mainly represented by the right and the center. However, a point of contention persists concerning article 3 of the bill, which proposes the regularization of undocumented immigrants in certain sectors in tension. In this article, we will examine the issues and challenges faced by Gérald Darmanin in examining this bill.
1. Article 3: regularization of undocumented immigrants in professions in shortage
Article 3 of the bill proposes the regularization of undocumented immigrants working in sectors in tension such as construction, catering, agriculture or home help. This measure sparks heated debates within the Senate, with centrists advocating a rewriting of the article and Les Républicains calling for its deletion. The latter fear that this regularization will create a “draft” for irregular immigration. Gérald Darmanin will strive to find a compromise and an amended text in order to emerge from the debate in the Senate with a decision accepted by all.
2. The puzzle for Gérald Darmanin
Gérald Darmanin is faced with a real political headache, with on one side the Republicans who make Article 3 a non-negotiable point and on the other the left wing of the majority which refuses to see this article disappear. The Minister of the Interior has repeatedly affirmed that he will not use article 49.3 to pass the text, thus showing his desire to find common ground. However, he also faces interference from President Emmanuel Macron, who has raised the idea of extending the referendum to social issues, including immigration. This announcement could be seen as support for his minister or simply a strategy to destabilize the right-wing opposition.
3. Limit regularizations and strengthen obligations to leave French territory (OQTF)
In addition to article 3, the bill also aims to limit regularizations, in particular by tightening the conditions for family reunification. The senators have already proposed increasing the waiting period before submitting a request for family reunification, going from 1.5 years to 2 years, and requiring that family members have a minimum command of the French language. At the same time, article 10 of the text aims to strengthen the execution of obligations to leave French territory (OQTF), making it possible to lift protections for people representing a serious threat to public order..
Conclusion :
Examining the immigration bill in the Senate represents a major challenge for Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. The debates around article 3, which proposes the regularization of undocumented immigrants in certain sectors in tension, will continue to arouse dissension between the different political factions. Nevertheless, Gérald Darmanin will do everything possible to emerge from the debate with an amended and voted text. It remains to be seen how senators will manage to find a compromise on this sensitive issue of immigration to France.