According to the Ministry of the Interior, 75,000 people gathered on Sunday to protest against the immigration law, including 16,000 in Paris. This demonstration is putting pressure on the government just four days before a highly anticipated decision from the Constitutional Council.
A large coalition of opponents to the immigration law gathered across France on Sunday, January 21st to protest against a law that is seen as a victory for the far-right. The number of protesters ranged from 75,000 (according to the Ministry of the Interior) to 150,000 (according to the CGT), with 16,000 in Paris.
More than 160 marches were planned on Sunday, including one in Paris between Trocadero and Les Invalides. Many individuals and political figures have expressed their dissatisfaction with the direction of the government.
Members of the left-wing, as well as individuals from various industries, have expressed concerns about the impact of the immigration law, emphasizing the importance of immigrant labor in French society.
The authors of the call to protest, including prominent figures from the cultural sphere, are urging President Emmanuel Macron not to promulgate the law. They believe that it represents a shift towards far-right ideologies.
The law has faced criticism for its right-leaning amendments and controversial measures, including restrictions on access to social benefits, the establishment of immigration quotas, and the criminalization of illegal immigration.
Demonstrations were held in various cities across France, including Nantes, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and Lyon.
The Minister for Gender Equality, Aurore Bergé, denied claims that the law promotes national preference, instead attributing the rise of far-right ideologies to the law’s opponents.
On BFMTV, the president of Reconquête, Eric Zemmour, denounced the law as harmful to the French and vowed to halt all legal immigration.
