A particularly awaited decision. The Constitutional Council decides on the immigration bill on Thursday January 25, a month after a chaotic adoption in Parliament. The nine Wise Men, responsible for ruling on the conformity of the laws with the Constitution, will decide whether or not to censor part of the text, which fractured the majority and whose vote was hailed as a “ideological victory” by the far right. The institution’s decision, expected after 4:30 p.m., promises to be long, with the text comprising 86 articles. Follow our live stream.
Several measures potentially reversed. According to the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, several provisions are “manifestly and clearly contrary to the Constitution”. Some within the executive are hoping for partial censorship. One of the most contested measures imposes on non-European foreigners a minimum period of residence of five years for those who do not work, and 30 months for others, before being able to benefit from social benefits.
Controversial tightenings. Among the other measures that the Wise Men could censure also include tightening of the conditions for family reunification. The establishment of “quotas” set by Parliament to cap the number of foreigners admitted to the territory is also called into question, as is the deposit required from foreign students.
The majority divided by the text. In total, 27 of the 248 deputies of the presidential majority opposed the bill. Part of the left wing of the government, the Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, resigned after the vote in December. Despite the storm, the government preferred to reach an agreement with the right and avoid a fiasco in the Assembly. The Head of State, however, decided to refer the matter to the Constitutional Council, effectively entrusting it with the role of political arbiter on an explosive text.