France - December 2023

On 19 December, Parliament approved new immigration legislation which made significant concessions to the far-right, with 349 votes in favour and 186 against. The legislation designates migration quotas, to be decided by Parliament, to limit the admission of immigrants (excluding asylum seekers) for a period of three years. In addition, the law introduces the possibility of stripping dual nationals of their French citizenship if they are convicted of intentional homicide and where the victim is a public authority (including police officers, soldiers, judges and administrative officials). The law introduces restrictions on access to benefits for the unemployed, requiring immigrants who are unemployed to be resident in France for five years until becoming eligible for family allowances and housing aid. It also restricts the conditions to be met for family reunification. The legislation has been condemned by NGOs including the French Human Rights League (LDH) and Human Rights Watch. On 25 January, the Constitutional Council will determine whether the legislation conforms with the Constitution and reserves the power to censure any articles where it perceives a conflict.

Sources: Le Monde, RFI (1), RFI (2), The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Human Rights Watch, LDH