French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin proposed this Sunday in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche “a three-year moratorium on legal immigration,” considering that France “has reached the limit of its integration and assimilation capacities.” Strong words, but they show the temperature and harshness of the debate that will open next year in the country as the presidential elections next May approach.
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Darmanin, who has been part of almost every government under Emmanuel Macron’s presidency since 2017 — with the exception of Michel Barnier’s administration between September and December 2024 — believes that “immigration as it exists today must end.” But the current Justice Minister no longer has the capacity, time, or support to carry out any reform. That is why he pointed out “this issue must be resolved in the next presidential elections.”
The positions of the Justice Minister ― especially when he was Interior Minister ― have always been tough on this matter. Even then, he called for more restrictions or criticized Spain and Italy for “poorly controlling immigration.” “We could start by considering that residence permits granted for work reasons, undoubtedly important in certain sectors of activity, no longer grant the right to family reunification. I also propose reforming the Constitution to allow the establishment of restrictive quotas, and not merely indicative ones as is the case today,” he explained.
The issue is an old proposal of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) and could be associated with a consultation. On the possibility of resorting to a referendum, Darmanin assured that he has never “been afraid to give the word to the people” and insisted: “The Constitution will have to be changed.”
In December 2023, the immigration bill promoted by Darmanin was rejected after the approval of a motion in the National Assembly, which was a setback for the then Interior Minister. Darmanin then refused to incorporate the constitutional reform proposal put forward by the conservative party The Republicans, a decision that led most right-wing deputies to vote against his proposal.
Darmanin’s words show the mood of the center-right in France, which has almost completely adopted the anti-immigration discourse of the RN. The minister also stated that “many things will happen within a year.” Including his own candidacy for the Élysée Palace. “I will make my decision [whether to run in the 2027 presidential elections] solely based on the interest of my country,” he added.
The race to the Élysée is marked by the lead of the far right and a completely open list of names on the other side. There are candidates on the right and left who will fade as polls show their level of relevance from now until next January. But Darmanin considers that former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe ― current mayor of Le Havre ― is “today the best positioned.” “He is capable of advancing his candidacy and bringing together all those currents in a sincere spirit of listening and within a national project in which every French person, as well as every responsibility, has its place. He carries a great responsibility on his shoulders,” he added.
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