The proposal by deputies LR Aurélien Pradié and Pierre-Henri Dumont to launch a shared initiative referendum on immigration was denounced on Sunday by several voices within the Republicans, who consider it inconsistent with the Constitution. In a column published in the JDDAurélien Pradié and Pierre-Henri Dumont consider that the postponement until the autumn of the immigration bill “constitutes a major political resignation”.
“The quota policy not up to the migratory challenge”
They believe that “the quota policy is not up to the migratory challenge” and that it is now necessary “to move from underqualified family immigration to chosen overqualified work immigration”. For this, they hope to table “in the coming weeks”, with several of their colleagues, a referendum of shared initiative “(RIP). “I cannot be in favor of a RIP on the migratory question since it is constitutionally impossible “, replied dryly the president (LR) of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, guest of the Grand Jury RTL /Le Figaro/LCI.
He recalled that the RIP was governed by Article 11 of the Constitution and reserved for the organization of public powers or for reforms relating to economic, social or environmental policy. “We must avoid launching species of decoys which disturb our fellow citizens”, he underlined.
On France Inter and France info, the boss of the LR deputies Olivier Marleix also recalled that the Constitution limited the use of the RIP. He recalled that the right was preparing its own immigration bill and that it intended to table it “by the end of spring”.
The RIP, a procedure that has so far never succeeded
The Constitution makes it possible to organize a RIP on the initiative of at least 185 parliamentarians, supported by a tenth of the voters (4.87 million). Such a procedure has so far never succeeded. The last two requests, filed by the left on pensions, were rejected by the Constitutional Council.
Aurélien Pradié and Pierre-Henri Dumont want to focus their proposal on “improving the return rate of illegal immigrants”. They also ask to condition “five years of legal presence on the territory access to non-contributory benefits” and propose the restoration of the double penalty which makes it possible to expel from French territory a foreigner convicted of a criminal offense once his sentence has been served.
At the end of April, Elisabeth Borne, who does not have a majority in the Assembly, had reached out to the Republicans on immigration, calling for a “compromise”. She then ruled out the possibility of a referendum requested by the right.