French court scraps large parts of hardline immigration law as unconstitutional

France’s highest constitutional authority on Thursday rejected more than a third of the articles in a contentious immigration bill adopted under pressure from the right and far right.

The Constitutional Council ruling notably rejected measures in the bill toughening access to social benefits and family reunification, as well as the introduction of immigration quotas set by parliament.

It upheld much of the bill initially presented by President Emmanuel Macron’s government, but censured contentious additions made under pressure from the right and far right.

Among the measures rejected were those making it harder for immigrants to bring their families to France, and limiting their access to social welfare. The bill also strengthens France’s ability to deport foreigners considered undesirable.

Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin hailed the ruling.

“The Constitutional Council has approved all the government’s text,” he wrote on X, formally Twitter.

But Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally party, criticised what he said was a “coup by the judges, with the backing of the president”.

He called for a referendum on immigration as the “only solution”.

Despite the court dismissing the more hardline amendments, they could still be accepted at a later stage as part of different legislation.

Macron's 'gift' to the far right

Groups who see the law as contrary to French values — and as a gift to the increasingly influential far right — protested ahead of the ruling outside the Constitutional Council across from the Louvre Museum in central Paris. Other protests were also planned, and Paris police deployed special security measures for the day.

The demonstrators accused the government of caving into pressure from Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party to get the law through parliament. About 75,000 people protested across France on Sunday over the legislation, urging Macron not to sign it into law.

The dispute comes amid tensions across Europe around migration and as anti-immigration parties on the far right are rising in popularity ahead of European Parliament elections in June.

Macron has moved increasingly to the right, notably on security and immigration issues, since rising to office on a pro-business, centrist platform.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)