Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of French cities on Sunday to urge President Emmanuel Macron not to sign a tough new immigration law they say tramples on French values.
The timing of the protests was crucial: on Thursday, the Constitutional Council is due to decide whether all articles of the law passed in December are in line with the French Constitution.
The bill would expand the ability to deport foreigners deemed undesirable. It would also reduce the possibility for foreigners to benefit from social measures.
Macron backed the law during its difficult passage through parliament but, in an unusual twist, said some articles appeared unconstitutional. Le Monde newspaper recently quoted an unnamed Interior Ministry official as saying that “a good dozen” articles could be overturned by the Constitutional Council.
Some articles of the law make it more difficult for family members to come to France. For example, applicants wishing to join a spouse will have to pass a French language test. The court is also likely to consider tightening standards for social services and housing or reinstating a law repealed in 2012 that makes it illegal for a foreigner to be in France without residency papers.
According to the Interior Ministry, 75,000 people took part in the rally across the country, including 16,000 protesters in Paris. Left-wing trade union CGT estimated the number of protesters nationwide at 150,000.
