The president of Horizons reveals her vision on immigration, while the right and the government seek common ground on the subject.
The former prime minister reveals his views on immigration. In an interview at The Express (paid item) published Monday, June 5, Edouard Philippe advocates the questioning of a 1968 agreement with Algeria on migration issues. He also distills several standpoints against a “immigration of the fait accompli”while the subject agitates the majority and the right, which are currently discussing a government bill on the subject.
The mayor of Le Havre thus goes into detail on the agreement concluded in 1968 with Algeria, which organizes the entry, stay and employment of Algerians in France, according to rules derogating from common law. On certain points, the Algerians are favored compared to other foreigners (in particular as regards family reunification), on others they are losers (in particular for the students).
“No national of another State benefits from such advantages”believes the former Prime Minister. “Of course, there are extremely powerful historical relations between France and Algeria, but the maintenance today of such a system with a country with which we have complicated relations no longer seems justified to me”continues Edouard Philippe.
He explains his point of view
In this interview, the founder of the Horizons party evokes a “immigration of the fait accompli” in France, with “a very strong acceleration in the increase in the number of foreigners” since the early 2000s. And “the geographical origin of foreigners has also changed”he notes, with a greater proportion of foreigners coming from North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. “During this period, the French population increased by 9% and the number of foreigners increased by 53%. And nothing in this evolution corresponds to a political choice or a decision that we would have taken”adds the Norman aedile.
Edouard Philippe claims to be tackling “three unsaid” in matters of immigration. “First, we say that we want fewer foreigners in France, but when a certain number of our fellow citizens say so, they are actually targeting people who have been French, sometimes for three generations. control of the entry of foreigners into France which will solve this problem. It is a subject of integration, education, good citizenship”he explains. “The second unsaid concerns Islam”became “a central subject, a disturbing subject, a haunting subject”.
“Finally, there is the unspoken work. Many French people find that there are too many foreigners in France, but in Parisian restaurants, in the tourist industry, in the agricultural sector, in a whole series of economic sectors which are not in crisis and which are essential to French success, we are relying on a quite impressive number of foreigners”develops the ex-tenant of Matignon.
He approves of Darmanin’s proposals
The former prime minister says “very supportive of the proposals made by Gérald Darmanin and Olivier Dussopt”while the executive seeks ways of a parliamentary majority with Les Républicains on the immigration aspect. “This law is necessary, but I know it is not sufficient”he nevertheless points out.
He says to himself “opposed to any massive regularization and favorable to the principle proposed by Olivier Dussopt, which consists in allowing people exercising professional activities in sectors where the national interest requires to be able to continue to do so. I would prefer that this regularization be done at the case by case”.
Finally, he states that he understands “the objective pursued by LR”which wants to modify the Constitution in order to be able to derogate from European and international law, but “this proposal is not satisfactory in its terms. It would be interpreted for what it is, that is to say a form of legal ‘Frexit'”.