Paris – French Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne The French Prime Minister said on Wednesday that parts of her government’s immigration bill were unconstitutional, a day after voting in favor of the bill that dealt a severe blow to Emmanuel Macron’s coalition.
Late on Tuesday, the National Assembly passed Macron’s major immigration bill, which had been greatly tightened during negotiations in recent days to gain support from the conservative Republicans party. It was also approved with the support of the far right The National Rally, which has sparked accusations that centrists are succumbing to xenophobia.
Since then, Macron’s government has sent mixed messages about the legislation, praising its success while condemning parts of it as potentially unconstitutional. Bourne said Wednesday that she “felt she had done her homework” but that the bill must “evolve.”
He was asked during an interview with Radio France Inter If parts of the bill are unconstitutional, the Prime Minister said: “Yes, I can confirm.” She added that there were some measures that raised “doubts” and were exchanged with the governors during the talks.
Government spokesman Olivier Veran confirmed on the same day that the French president himself had referred the legislation to the Constitutional Court to review its constitutionality.
But whatever the outcome of this process, clear fault lines have emerged within Macron’s centrist coalition, which will only fuel growing doubts about Macron’s ability to govern France since his loss in last year’s parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly approved the bill by a majority of 349 votes to 186, but nearly a quarter of MPs from Macron’s coalition abstained or voted against the bill. Less than 24 hours after the vote, former Socialist Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau submitted his resignation. says Le Monde He “cannot explain this bill.”
Macron is now under pressure to look for ways to reconcile Ennahda, especially mending relations with left-leaning MPs, many of whom voted against the bill. He is expected to give a television interview on Wednesday evening.
The government spokesman denied the existence of a “rebellion” against the president within Ennahda. “It is normal for ministers to have questions,” he said, adding that the entire government, except for the health minister, was present at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He added: “There is no rebellion among the ministers.”
Meanwhile, far-right leader Marine Le Pen was exploiting Macron’s difficulties, claiming that the National Rally had achieved an “ideological victory” over hard-line legislation.
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