Bruno Retailleau, the new Interior Minister of France, faces pressure from stricter immigration laws. He also received criticism from the Left for being too close to far-right ideas. In a recent interview, he shed light on his moderate plan to fight against illegal immigration, crime, and political Islam. He blames the system’s failures for the recent murder of a young woman and says tougher detention rules are needed for illegal immigrants who face deportation. He also opposes groups that support immigrants in detention.He said that these groups have too much influence, which is not good. Retailleau believes the government should do these tasks. He highlights a handsome amount of money, approximately €1 billion, is given to these groups and questioned if this money is being used efficiently. His plan highlights that he designed new immigration rules that are stricter than before and more government-controlled. This government involvement raises concerns about human rights and how well services will support immigrants.The death of the Philippine victim highlights that France needs to reconsider its rules for treating illegal minors. The suspect is 19 years old and charged with rape. But he received only 7 years of punishment in prison due to adulthood. Adults would get twice as long for the same crime. The minister claimed that being a minor doesn’t mean you can commit any crime and receive a lighter punishment. Instead, judges should carefully decide if the excuse of being minor is justified. Retailleau also paid attention to France’s visa policy and the complexity it faces. In 2023, France issued many visas to people from different nations, such as Morocco and Algeria. These nations only took back a little number of their citizens when asked. The imbalance is clear. France cooperates and grants visas but doesn’t receive much cooperation in return. The situation becomes more unfair due to the lack of forced deportations. If France wants to fix these complexities, then it is important to change immigration rules. Furthermore, it is also important to make sure that both sides fulfill their responsibilities efficiently. According to a journalist, the former minister Gérald Darmanin made an effort to change immigration policies but failed. Bruno Retailleau said that the French government needs to show more determination and suggestions. Government pressure can solve the immigration complexities effectively. According to him, any new immigration policy must consider the European context. The minister also shed light on the continued trade talks in Brussels about customs duties. He sees it as an important opportunity for fair treatment in regions critical to Europeans. He also plans to call for changes to the Return Directive, which he says makes it hard to deport illegal immigrants.The main problem is how to utilize these ideas in the current situation. Because nowadays, France’s political landscape is grappling with many complexities. Retailleau points out that there is a lot of potential to better apply existing laws since the government often does not use them fully.After the July 2024 snap elections, it is more important to design new laws, as Retailleau sees a clear public demand for stronger security and immigration controls. He recognizes that many people stand in favor of the Rassemblement National. They got 11 million votes and now want to address these concerns. Retailleau believes that has the ability to bring lawmakers together to support new immigration rules. However, it is difficult to convince everyone in the National Assembly. RN MP Laure Lavalette highlights that the members of Les Républicains have talked differently and acted in another way when in power. She said that they are not fulfilling their promises and acting like Macron’s party. This situation raises worries about whether politicians truly want to solve public problems or just mislead people into achieving their real goals.
