associations welcome censorship by the Constitutional Council but maintain their mobilization

The Constitutional Council largely censored the immigration bill on Thursday. A mixed victory for associations defending the rights of exiled people.

It was a highly anticipated decision. The Constitutional Council largely censures the immigration bill. In all, 35 articles out of 86 are totally or partially rejected by the Sages. Most of these are articles introduced by senators who had toughened the text when they examined it. This decision by the Constitutional Council is a form of victory for associations defending the rights of migrants, who say they remain mobilized.

The partial censorship of the immigration law is “a victory”, welcomed Amnesty International, through its president. Jean-Claude Samouiller was in the gathering near the Constitutional Council in Paris. The NGO will be “vigilant” so that the censored part of the text “don’t come back through the window” before the law was promulgated, he added. Because “this text remains dangerous and the government has crossed red lineswrites the human rights NGO on the social network X. The government is firstly responsible for having encouraged a nauseating debate around measures in the ‘asylum and immigration’ law, which it knew were not in conformity with the Constitution. The State should be the guarantor of constitutional law, not the one who endangers it.”

“The Constitutional Council widely censors hate mongers and the ‘asylum and immigration’ law, reacts the Utopia 56 association on X. This law should never have been passed as it is so contrary to basic human rights. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, we will watch and resist.”

For its part, the Federation of Solidarity Actors, which brings together nearly 900 associations and organizations, announced in a press release its “relief” but ensures to maintain “its vigilance and mobilization”. The organization calls on the government to pull “the conclusions which are necessary in view of the deep uneasiness created by this legislative and constitutional test for our democracy” and “not to attempt to reintroduce it with new laws” the provisions having not been censored in substance. Delphine Rouilleault, general director of Terre d’Asile, also expressed her “immediate relief to see the most hostile measures against foreigners censored.” “But the moral fault remains immense and the provisions maintained will tighten the conditions for exercising the right to asylum. Nothing to rejoice about in all of this”she added on the social network

Censorship of articles concerning foreign students welcomed

Unef, a student union, is delighted that the Wise Men have reaffirmed articles 11, 12 and 13 on the conditions for issuing a student residence permit as well as on the registration fees for foreign students. “The censorship by the Constitutional Council of the provisions concerning foreign students is a saving of time and a breather”, writes Unef. But the union adds that this is not “a total victory”: “Gérald Darmanin will not stop there, neither will we! So the fight continues.”

“This censored text is not a victoryfor its part underlines the Federation of General Student Associations (Fage) on We are concerned about the worsening precariousness and systemic racism faced by foreign students. Removing a few measures means avoiding catastrophe, not improving the situation.”

Associations demand withdrawal of immigration law

In the gathering, it is a “partial victory”, reacted Sophie, member of the NGO CCFD-Terre solidaire, interviewed by franceinfo a stone’s throw from the Constitutional Council. Among the several hundred people, there was no eruption of joy at the announcement of the Sages’ decision. Sophie expresses a fairly mixed feeling: “The Constitutional Council sent a strong signal to the government with the censorship of almost a third of the articles, but we, from the beginning, have been asking for the withdrawal of this law which already included many articles attacking the rights and dignity of people exiled in our country.”

“The censored articles had been introduced by examination in the Senate, they were quite emblematic of the total drift during the parliamentary examination of this text.”

Sophie, member of the CCFD-Terre solidaire association

at franceinfo

“The mobilization will continue, on the political side by demanding the withdrawal of this law, but also legal recourse with all the actors engaged in this fight”, assures the CCFD-Terre solidaire activist.

She is joined by the vice-president of the League for Human Rights (LDH): “This law seriously undermines the rights of exiled people and calls into question France’s international commitments. The LDH demands its withdrawal and is still mobilized this evening.” Same story at ATD Quart-Monde: “Faced with the preachers of hatred and divisions, let us remain mobilized for the rights of all!”

Benoît Hamon, former PS presidential candidate and now head of the NGO Singha, believes that the decision of the Constitutional Council “is a lesser evil. What remains is a vote which validated a far-right ideology. What remains is the damage of several months of hysterical and xenophobic escalation. Let us remain mobilized for withdrawal.” The mobilizations of associations and NGOs will therefore continue.