France is likely to introduce much tougher immigration and security measures, reflecting a rightward shift in society, new interior minister Bruno Retajo has said. His comments indicate the dependence of the minority government on the tacit support of the ultra-right.
Retajo's calls for a tougher stance on asylum claims, police violence, prison terms, radical Islam and drug trafficking underscore the influence of Marine Le Pen's National Assembly (RN) on the new government, Reuters writes.
After the June elections, in which President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government suffered heavy losses, the RN became a key player, signaling tacit support for Michel Barnier's new centrist-conservative coalition.
However, the RN reserves the right to withdraw support for the government if their demands on immigration, security and other issues are not met.
Retajo, 63, a longtime immigration skeptic from the conservative Republicans (LR) party, provided few details about his vision for a powerful interior ministry at the first cabinet meeting on Monday, but was more explicit later in statements to the media.
My hand will not tremble if I have to close Islamist mosques or expel hate preachers, Retajo said.
Retajo said he would unveil new measures in the coming weeks and that France "must not refrain from strengthening our legislative arsenal".
"My goal is to stop illegal entries and increase deportations, especially of illegal immigrants," he told "Figaro", adding that he will make maximum use of the significant regulatory powers of the Minister of the Interior.
Retajo told Cnews yesterday that France, along with other like-minded European countries, should pressure the European Union to tighten immigration laws.
He said that Germany's decision to introduce temporary border controls, suspending decades of largely free movement within the Schengen zone, underscored how European views on immigration are shifting to the right.
Retajo also promised to consult with North African states about preventing more undocumented migrants from going to France, and said he wanted tougher prison sentences for lawbreakers.
"My hand will not tremble if I have to close Islamist mosques or expel hate preachers (in France)," he told "Figaro".
When asked by CNews if he depends on the political goodwill of the RN, Retajo said: "I depend on the goodwill of the French."
However, he admitted that the voters sent a clear message in the first round of the summer elections, in which the RN came first with about a third of the votes. The leftist alliance ended up winning the most seats in the second round, thanks to a legislative agreement to prevent the far-right from coming to power.
"The French also gave us their plan. We have to listen to the message they sent us ... They want more security and less immigration. I will implement this plan."
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