France’s new government will take a hardline approach to migration as key officials have pledged to significantly reduce the number of people entering and staying in the country illegally.
After calling early legislative elections in June, President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier, a conservative veteran of the Republican Party, prime minister, hoping the Brexit negotiator would work with the divided legislature to end the political turmoil that has disrupted French politics in recent months.
Barnier’s government – dominated by conservatives and centrists – does not have a majority in parliament and efforts to pass any new legislation are sure to be fought and potentially blocked. The National Assembly is now divided between three large political blocs: the leftist New Popular Front coalition, Macron’s centrist allies (who reached an agreement with the conservatives) and the far-right National Rally party, the largest single party in the new assembly.
The new prime minister will outline his priorities in a policy speech scheduled for Tuesday at the National Assembly.
In recent televised interviews, Barnier criticized French borders as “sieves” and expressed concern that “migration flows” were “not under control.” He promised to “limit immigration,” citing measures taken by neighboring countries such as Germany, which expanded controls at all land borders earlier this month.