French authorities are planning to introduce a new immigration law next year, according to government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon, as the newly formed right-wing government seeks to tighten immigration policies.
“There will be a need for a new law,” Bregeon told BFMTV on Sunday.
The government’s push to strengthen immigration and border control policies reflects the shift to the right in French politics following the legislative elections this past summer, which resulted in a hung parliament.
The government, led by Michel Barnier, hopes to present the bill to parliament at the beginning of 2025.
This move comes after a case in September where a Paris student was raped and murdered, sparking heated debate on migration, especially after a Moroccan national was named as the prime suspect.
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One of the key proposals is to extend the detention period for undocumented migrants deemed dangerous, allowing for better enforcement of deportation orders.
The current maximum detention period, 90 days, could be extended to 210 days, a measure presently only applicable to terrorism-related offenses.
Bregeon emphasized that the government is open to considering additional measures, stating there should be “no taboos when it comes to protecting the French.”
Last December, France passed an immigration law, but many amendments, intended to gain far-right and right-wing support, were later struck down by the Constitutional Council.
Those discarded amendments will now serve as a foundation for the new bill, which may also include new provisions.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, considered the most hardline member of the government, has pledged to take a tough stance on immigration. He has already sparked controversy, saying that “the rule of law is neither intangible nor sacred.” Retailleau, who previously led the Republicans party in the Senate, was instrumental in pushing last year’s tough immigration legislation.
Among his proposals is the reinstatement of illegal residence as a criminal offense.
However, Gabriel Attal, Barnier’s predecessor and now a leader in parliament for Macron’s Renaissance party, expressed skepticism, saying that a new immigration law should not be a “total priority.”
Attal emphasized that the focus should be on ensuring the state has full control over who enters and exits the country.
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