French Justice Minister Calls for 3-Year Immigration Freeze
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has proposed a three-year freeze on legal immigration, citing France's exhausted capacity to integrate newcomers and calling for constitutional reforms.
In an interview published on 24 May in Le Journal du Dimanche, Darmanin stated that France must put an end to immigration “as it is currently conceived,” warning that the existing system is no longer sustainable and requires fundamental restructuring.
We have reached the limit of our capacity for integration and assimilation, the minister told the publication, marking one of the most hardline stances taken by a sitting French government official on immigration policy.
Constitutional reform and binding quotas
According to Brussels Signal, Darmanin proposed amending the French Constitution to replace the current indicative migration figures with legally binding quotas. He argued that constitutional reform would be necessary to impose enforceable limits on immigration flows, a change that would represent a significant departure from France’s existing legal framework.
The Justice Minister also outlined measures to strip certain residence permits of the right to family reunification and to condition visa issuance on countries of origin accepting the return of their nationals facing deportation. He further advocated for accelerated transfer of foreign detainees to their home countries to improve enforcement of removal orders.
Positioning ahead of 2027 presidential race
Darmanin, a longtime ally of President Emmanuel Macron and former interior minister, signalled his intention to place immigration at the centre of the 2027 presidential campaign, when Macron will leave office after serving his second term. While he has not formally declared candidacy, his proposals are widely seen as an effort to appeal to centre-right voters ahead of the election.
His comments come as opinion polling consistently shows immigration ranking among the top concerns of French voters, alongside cost of living and public security. National Rally leaders Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen have long advocated for a moratorium on legal immigration and a national referendum on migration policy.
Sharp reversal of government policy
The French government has not indicated whether Darmanin’s proposals reflect official cabinet policy or represent a personal initiative. The proposals would mark a dramatic reversal of the 2023 immigration reform advanced by Macron, which created new residence categories for workers in shortage occupations and eased pathways for foreign entrepreneurs.
Any three-year suspension of legal immigration would represent a fundamental shift in France’s approach to migration and integration, placing the country on a more restrictive trajectory aligned with populist and right-wing movements across Europe.
With information from Brussels Signal
