In a recent development, the French parliament has enacted legislation that prohibits Nigerian students and students from various other countries from bringing their families to France. The revised version of this measure garnered support from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party as well as Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party.

This updated immigration policy introduces stricter controls on family reunions, imposes limitations on migrants’ access to welfare benefits, and forbids the detention of minors in detention centers. A noteworthy and contentious aspect of the law creates a distinction between citizens and migrants, even those legally residing in France, affecting their eligibility for benefits.

The reinforced version of the bill found favor among right-wing parties, culminating in its recent approval. Marine Le Pen praised the altered measure as an “ideological victory” for the far-right, while Eric Ciotti, leader of the right-wing Republican Party, declared it a “firm and courageous” move.

Conversely, left-wing critics argued that Macron was aligning with the far-right, with Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure cautioning that history would remember those who betrayed their convictions. Moreover, leaders from approximately one-third of France’s regions have expressed their refusal to implement key legislative measures.

Interestingly, the French parliamentary decision coincided with an EU agreement aimed at reforming the asylum system across the bloc’s 27 member states. The new pact, hailed as a landmark agreement by Parliament President Roberta Metsola, entails the creation of border detention centers and facilitates the expedited deportation of rejected asylum seekers. Notably, the system allows for the relocation of asylum seekers from southern member states, which experience the highest numbers of arrivals, to other countries.