An ideological and political victory for the far right inside France has emerged as Emmanuel Macron’s coalition and the Republicans agreed on a stringent version of the immigration law this Tuesday afternoon. The bipartisan commission, made up of seven deputies and seven senators, reached a compromise on a highly debated text that the National Assembly had rejected the previous week. Macron’s camp had offered concessions to LR that softened some positions, while the National Rally linked to Marine Le Pen saw gains in influence.
The Republican right and the far right emerged as major beneficiaries of a sequence that weakened Macron and undermined the centrist vow to unite the right and left. On X, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that an agreement had been reached in parliament on the immigration law. Yet the measures were not presented as a clear strengthening of the government, and some observers noted that the package still faces critical tests, including the cabinet’s February submission date.
Conservative MP Olivier Marleix argued that the era of the tough interior policy signature of Charles Pasqua, a figure associated with harsher immigration rules in the 1980s and 1990s, had been revived. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament corridors, the head of the LR parliamentary group touted the many provisions he helped craft during negotiations. Marine Le Pen, a LR ally in practice, praised the text as an ideological win because it places national priority at the forefront.
From one vantage point, the agreement pushes Macronist frameworks away from the inclusion of special residence permits for irregular migrants working in labor shortage sectors. From another, it accepts proposals previously deemed red lines, such as limiting access to certain services for irregular migrants, restricting access to rental assistance, and tightening safeguards around health care benefits.
A political sequence
Following the accord, the law, commonly referred to as the Darmanin Law in honor of the Interior Minister, will be debated in the Lower House and the Senate on Tuesday night. It appears more likely to secure majority support in the assembly, though defections could occur among moderate voices in the Macron camp, particularly from MoDem representatives. While the government has advanced what many see as its most significant autumn policy, the price tag is high. The government743 faces a reckoning not only for yielding to Republican cautions on immigration but also for delivering a theater of political maneuvering that critics label as a stalling tactic.
Last week, a rare alliance of left, Republicans, and far-right factions helped pass a resolution in the National Assembly rejecting the Darmanin text. After that setback, the Executive chose to preserve the framework, leaving final fate to a cross-party joint committee of fourteen lawmakers. With LR holding the upper hand in the Senate, the committee met in a closed session, drinks and cameras kept away. Negotiations continued late into the afternoon as Macron pressed for a deal.
Almost twenty-four hours later, after a late-night pause, the committee chair announced progress in the form of a smoother path forward. The final language tightens rules and broadens the scope for deportations of irregular migrants and foreigners who have committed serious crimes. Specifically, it expands the possibilities for deporting people who arrived before age thirteen and those who have lived in France for longer periods, if they pose a threat to public order or have committed violence. Critics warn the text risks stigmatizing immigrant communities and widening the net of enforcement.
Disputes over benefits
To win the Republican caucus, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne pledged to restrict benefits for immigrants that enable access to medical care. The text also tightens stay rules for crime-related departures and reenacts provisions once repealed by a previous administration. It contemplates adding criminal penalties for undocumented residents and restricts family reunification processes for some foreign families. The bill also contemplates stripping French citizenship from those with dual nationality who commit serious crimes against police or military officers. Rent assistance would require a minimum period of residence or work in the country to qualify.
Instead of a universal special permit for all workers in low-demand sectors, governors could impose case-by-case regulations. This approach resembles, if not tightens beyond, the framework set by earlier policy. Foreign students, particularly from non-EU countries, are among the largest losers under the final provisions, facing new limits on rent support and the potential creation of a research travel deposit for those seeking to study in France.
The political stage resembled a melodrama. Collusion of extremist theses and steady votes complicated the scene. A moment of deep political dishonor drew reactions from university leaders, lawmakers, and opponents who argued that the government had abandoned a humane and tolerant vision for France. Critics pressed that the law would mark a harsher turn in immigration policy and risk eroding the country’s traditional openness.
As debates continued, voices from across the spectrum argued that the left remains the strongest advocate of a humane and inclusive France. While the left could not capitalize fully on the latest turn in the rhetoric, its members maintained a stance against the more punitive approach and continued to defend a vision of France grounded in human rights and dignity. The path forward would test the government’s capacity to maintain cohesion while pushing through a policy with significant social and political ramifications. A moment when principles and courage are put to the test in the national conversation about immigration and national identity was underscored by public commentary and political rhetoric. The country awaits the next steps as lawmakers prepare for votes that will shape France’s approach to migration for years to come. (Source: parliamentary coverage and party statements, attribution noted)