France’s centrist Prime Minister François Bayrou has spoken of what he said was growing unease among citizens about the influx of migrants to the country.
In a TV interview late on January 27, he said there was a rising “feeling of being overwhelmed” across the nation.
According to Bayrou, many French people felt immigration was “no longer under control,” with a perception that foreigners and immigrants were not living up to their “obligations”.
The PM has long argued that immigration should be managed through quotas, a point he had made clear in his general policy speech on January 14.
“I am deeply convinced that immigration is a matter of proportion, ” he said at the time.
If a country surpassed these quotas, he warned, what he called risks increased.
“Foreign contributions are beneficial for a people, as long as they do not exceed a certain proportion,” Bayrou said during the TV interview.
While cultural diversity could enrich a nation, when it seemed it was being overwhelmed rejection followed, he said, arguing that in France, “We’re getting close to that.”
“A certain number of cities have the feeling of being submerged, of no longer recognising your country,” he added.
Bayrou also endorsed the idea of ending birthright citizenship in overseas French regions such as Mayotte and Guyane, a proposal that has stirred considerable debate in the past.
A bill, pushed by the Republican party, to restrict this right in Mayotte is set to be discussed in the National Assembly on February 6.
Bayrou’s comments have sparked outrage from the Left.
Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte accused him of having a “xenophobic background”.
The hard-left party’s co-ordinator Manuel Bompard condemned the PM’s words as “extremely shocking” and “disconnected” from reality, citing the fact that immigrants make up only 7 per cent of France’s population.
Government members have rallied behind Bayrou, including justice minister and former interior minister Gérald Darmanin.
On January 28, he praised Bayrou, calling him “courageous” for raising these issues, stating that the PM’s stance was a “step forward” in the national conversation.
France has introduced stricter rules aimed at curbing the influx of illegal migrants and reducing the number of undocumented individuals granted legal status. https://t.co/54Ka9hZIHJ
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 24, 2025
