New French PM under pressure to halt immigration

France’s new prime minister is under pressure to follow through on an old election promise to suspend immigration.

Michel Barnier, is being propped up by Marine Le Pen of the hard-right, who said she supported the three to five-year moratorium proposed by Barnier when he made a run for president in 2021.

New French prime minister Michel Barnier.Credit: AP

At the time, Barnier proposed a “pause” in order to take back control of the country’s migration policy.

Along with a moratorium, his plans included ending the regularisation of undocumented immigrants, tightening the criteria for family reunification and reducing the number of long-stay visas.

In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche published on Sunday, Le Pen, leader of the hard-right National Rally, said she was in favour of Barnier’s call to implement a temporary immigration ban and expressed approval of the Brexit negotiator as prime minister.

Migrants camps have sprung up throughout Paris.Credit: AP

“There is no doubt that Michel Barnier seems to have the same view on immigration as we do. Now, we expect action from him,” she said.

“The leaders from the left refuse to face the reality of the immigration problem. I also stick to Michel Barnier’s proposals during the 2021 Republican primary, many of which were in line with our line.”

Barnier promised that his first priority as prime minister would be to “put a stop to the current immigration” and re-establish the authority of the state.

“My commitments on immigration, with a moratorium and a constitutional shield, and on security have one goal and one goal only: to solve the problems of the French,” he told Le Figaro in 2021.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen.Credit: AP

He also called for the British to “finally accept their responsibility and process asylum applications at home” and warned: “If we don’t change anything, there will be other Brexits,” a reference Le Pen brought up in her interview.

“I remember the time when he explained that out-of-control immigration had been one of the reasons for Brexit. It is an analysis that I share,” she said.

Barnier was named prime minister by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, on Thursday after two months of political chaos following snap elections.

New polling published by Ifop for the Journal du Dimanche Sunday showed the French are split on the president’s choice of prime minister, with 52 per cent expressing satisfaction with his choice, versus 48 per cent opposing it.

Barnier’s approval rating rises to 62 per cent when asked about his perceived competence, and 61 per cent for his perceived openness to dialogue.

The findings come a day after more than 100,000 left-wing demonstrators took to the streets to protest Barnier’s nomination.

Telegraph, London

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.