ISLAMABAD: France’s Senate passed a controversial bill on Thursday aimed at preventing undocumented immigrants from marrying in the country, as part of the government’s broader effort to tighten immigration laws.
The bill, supported by hardline immigration figures such as Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, passed with 227 votes in favor and 110 against in the upper house. The legislation now moves to the National Assembly for approval.
Opposition to the bill has been strong, particularly from left-wing factions who argue that it violates the Constitution. Critics have condemned the move as an infringement on the rights of foreign nationals, citing a 2003 decision by the French Constitutional Council that stated irregular immigration status should not prevent marriage.
The bill’s goal is to crack down on fraudulent marriages used as a means to obtain residency or citizenship in France, but it has sparked accusations of promoting xenophobia and racism. Greens senator Melanie Vogel called it an “attack on the Constitution,” while Socialist Corinne Narassiguin said the proposal would heighten tensions surrounding immigration in France.
The bill follows high-profile cases, including that of a northern France mayor who faced legal action for refusing to officiate the wedding of a former mosque leader, later deported, and a mayor in Beziers who faced prosecution for denying a marriage between a French woman and an undocumented Algerian man.
