Emmanuel Macron is under pressure from conservative parties to hold a national referendum on immigration following the French President‘s commitment to tackling growing concerns about migrant numbers and the lack of integration.
Jordan Bardella, President of Marine Le Pen‘s National Rally Party, sent Macron a letter last week in which he explained, “The urgency of the situation calls for a consultation of the French people.”
“There can be no national… upsurge without an awareness of the dangers of immigration of settlement and without a complete change in this policy, towards more firmness, requirement and control,” Barella added.
The calls for a referendum on the matter began after the French President suggested the nation should hold several plebiscites to determine government policy. Macron initially ruled out a vote on immigration, arguing it would be unconstitutional, which was disputed by the leader of the Republican Party, Eric Ciotti, who said such a referendum would be possible provided there was another referendum to amend the constitution.
“We cannot remain in this situation where we are experiencing a migratory wave… We are experiencing a real submersion without any real reactions from the public authorities, I deplore it,” Ciotti stated.
As of March this year, foreign nationals represent over ten percent of France’s population – around seven million. Over 320,000 people migrated to France in 2022 alone.
