PARIS, Jan 22 (Reuters) – The immigration law passed in parliament last month violates France’s constitutional commitment to equality and freedom, the U.N. special rapporteur on racism said, while that demonstrators against the text gathered in several cities on Sunday.
“When we look at the French Constitution or the way the head of state or many people in positions of power speak, (they talk) about equality, but it is in strong contradiction with these policies,” said Ashwini KP, special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, in a telephone interview with Reuters over the weekend.
The immigration bill was adopted in December with difficulty after the establishment of a joint committee which retained in the final version certain provisions defended by the right and the far right.
The text, on which the National Rally claimed an “ideological victory”, caused unease within the presidential majority and the government, pushing the then Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, to resign.
President Emmanuel Macron said he “assumed” the law, currently being examined by the Constitutional Council to remove doubts about certain provisions of the text. The council is expected to announce its decision on Thursday.
The law provides for migration quotas, obstacles to family reunification and deadlines for migrants’ access to social benefits, as well as articles canceling the automatic right to citizenship at birth and facilitating the expulsion of foreign nationals.
Ashwini KP was particularly concerned about the proposed restrictions on social assistance for migrants, the increase in tuition fees and the introduction of a refundable deposit for foreign students, saying these measures would have a considerable impact on “marginalized communities”.
She said she hoped that the Constitutional Council would make amendments.
The Elysée and the French Interior Ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Report by Layli Foroudi; French version by Gaëlle Sheehan, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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