The new measures, which could include extending detention and limiting regularisation for migrants, may spark further divisions in the French Parliament.
The French government is pushing for a new immigration law by early 2025, according to spokesperson Maud Bregeon, who announced the plans on BFMTV. The move comes just a year after the last immigration bill, which faced sharp divisions in Parliament and within President Macron’s coalition.
Bregeon said the new bill will include measures to extend the detention period for undocumented migrants considered a threat, from 90 days to 210 days. “We are not ruling out other provisions” she said, “we must adapt to the changing security challenges”.
She defended Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau’s position on these stricter measures, stating, “Bruno Retailleau, whose mission is to guarantee the security of the French, is not going to have to apologize for having ideas.” Bregeon said there should be “no taboos” when it comes to protecting the public.
The announcement comes less than a year after the immigration law, passed in January 2024, which was approved following to the abstention of the National Rally (RN). The previous law was opposed within Macron’s camp and led to the resignation of Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau.
The government also aims to tighten the regularisation rules, limiting the eligibility of undocumented migrants, especially in family cases. It will reconsider the articles previously rejected by the Constitutional Council to align the law more with the right-wing proposals.
Despite the majority in Parliament, Bregeon said the government will not actively seek the support of the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, whose hardline position on immigration is non-negotiable. Instead, she said the executive will engage with all the parliamentary groups to have a broad consensus on the new bill.
