France faced another day of mass demonstration as streets across the country filled with tens of thousands of protesters. The mobilization followed intense debate over immigration policies championed by President Emmanuel Macron, a plan that won parliamentary backing on December 19 with strong support from far‑right lawmakers. The protests built after a manifesto appeared in progressive newspapers, signed by about two hundred people and endorsed by political and union leaders, along with prominent actors and writers. Among the figures who joined the march were Marina Foïs, Laurent Binet, and Lydie Salvayre. The event occurred just days before a constitutional ruling was expected on the contested legislation.
Speakers challenged elements of the text that touch social assistance and, in particular, the idea of national preference, a principle long associated with the far right. In Paris, a demonstration near the Eiffel Tower drew a festive crowd, while solidarity actions emerged in roughly 150 other locations. Organizers claimed around 150,000 participants, while the Interior Ministry placed the tally at about 75,000. The calls centered on withdrawing the law linked to Darmanin, named after the interior minister who oversaw its passage.
Before the constitutional decision, the Darmanin measure aimed to speed up deportations of irregular migrants and address cases involving foreigners with serious offenses. It stands among the strictest immigration policies in recent memory in France. The text arose from negotiations between Macron’s party and segments of the Republican right, framed by hardline attitudes toward immigration. Provisions tightened access to social benefits, reintroduced penalties for irregular stays, and expanded citizenship-related penalties in cases of violence against police. Some clauses also affected non‑EU students seeking assistance.
Across the nation, the movement drew between one hundred fifty thousand and one hundred fifty thousand participants, depending on the source, all rallying against the policy that had just received government backing. A video from the Paris march circulated widely, highlighting the scale of the gathering.
After approval by both chambers, the prime minister indicated that certain measures might face constitutional review. The national body with authority over constitutional matters was expected to issue a ruling later in the week. Critics argued it should not be the court that rewrites the text, noting that lawmakers should anticipate constitutional limits rather than depend on the court to salvage the measure. A student involved in refugee and housing initiatives voiced concern about possible changes, while an editor suggested that broad revisions could alter the law’s intent if the court intervened too extensively.
Even as Sunday’s demonstrations ended, they underscored a broad segment of French society opposed to the policy and skeptical about its practical effects. The protest movement revealed a political landscape deeply divided, with substantial backing from the far right for a hardline approach and many in the center and left questioning how constitutional safeguards and humane considerations could be maintained within a tightened framework.