French justice minister calls for three-year halt to legal immigration
‘We have reached the limits of our capacities for integration and assimilation’, Gérald Darmanin says
Mr Darmanin proposed suspending some forms of legal immigration for three years and tightening rules on family reunification
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A three-year pause on legal immigration has been suggested by French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, arguing that France has reached “the limit” of its ability to integrate newcomers.
In a May 24 interview with the Journal du Dimanche, reported in La Nouvelle Republique, Mr Darmanin said immigration policy should become a central issue in the 2027 presidential election campaign.
“We must put an end to immigration as it exists today,” he said, adding that France had reached “the limit of our capacities for integration and assimilation”.
The number of first French residency cards increased by 11.2% in 2025 compared to 2024, according to interior ministry figures.
Mr Darmanin proposed suspending some forms of legal immigration for three years and tightening rules on family reunification. He suggested that residence permits granted for work should no longer automatically give migrants the right to bring family members to France.
He also called for constitutional reform to allow France to introduce binding immigration quotas rather than the current indicative system.
The remarks also come amid a wider tightening of immigration and border controls across France and the EU, following the launch of the EU’s new digital Entry/Exit System (EES), which has flagged thousands of overstayers since October 2025.
Referendum requires constitution change
Mr Darmanin said he supported holding a referendum on immigration policy, although he acknowledged that constitutional changes would first be required.
“I have never been afraid of giving the people a voice,” he said. “The constitution will have to be changed.”
French presidents currently face strict constitutional limits on the use of referendums on immigration matters, and previous proposals for migration-related votes have faced legal and political obstacles.
Mr Darmanin, who has served in most governments under President Emmanuel Macron since 2017, did not rule out standing in the 2027 presidential election himself.
“A lot will happen between now and next year,” he said, adding that he would decide whether to run “based solely on the interests of the country”.
2027 presidential election
The comments do not reflect an imminent policy change but rather the shifting debate within the French political right and centre ahead of the presidential race.
Immigration is expected to remain one of the dominant political issues in the election, as pressure grows from conservative and far-right parties for tighter controls on both legal and illegal migration.
Three of Mr Darmanin’s present and former colleagues have put their names forward to stand in 2027.
He told the Journal du Dimanche that former prime minister Edouard Philippe is the “best placed” candidate currently preparing for 2027, and capable of uniting different political tendencies around a national project.
He also characterised former prime minister Gabriel Attal as representing a “progressive social democracy”, while describing former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau as embodying “the conservative right”.
