A new poll conducted for top French newspaper Le Figaro shows that nearly three out of four French people believe there are too many migrants in the country, with the poll results coming after the country accepted a record number of foreigners in 2022 under President Emmanuel Macron.
The Odoxa-Backbone Consulting poll shows that at nearly every level, the French want stricter immigration controls, more deportations, and even a referendum on immigration into France.
It further shows that French people are becoming increasingly opposed to mass immigration, with 74 percent saying there are too many immigrants in France. This represents an 11-point increase from when the poll was conducted five years ago.
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This holds true for supporters of National Rally (97 percent), Republicans (91 percent), Renaissance (68 percent) and even Socialists (52 percent) and Greens (51 percent). Only supporters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s left-wing La France Insoumise are in the minority (44 percent) when asked if there are too many migrants in France.
The poll additionally shows that 79 percent of French want asylum seekers to have their requests decided on before they are allowed to enter French territory. Seventy-four percent also believe that immigration quotas should be set each year by the French parliament, and 72 percent believe that migration policy should be decided by a referendum.
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The French also want to make the country less socially attractive for migrants (68 percent), to include the principle of assimilation in the Constitution (66 percent) and even to derogate from the European treaties (62 percent).
Interestingly, not only did a majority of Les Republicans, National Rally and Reconquête voters all take a hardline view on immigration, but also supporters from Macron’s party Renaissance did as well. All of the respondents were highly critical of Macron’s handling of the issue of immigration, with the exception of voters who approve of Macron.
On the issue of refugees fleeing persecution in their country, 55 percent say France should accept them, but this is a 10-point drop from five years ago.
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The French, however, welcome proposals to better integrate migrants in the country, including supporting the creation of a residence permit for undocumented workers with jobs that employers need filled (58 percent) and allowing asylum seekers to access jobs (58 percent).
“On immigration, French people’s thinking is finally ‘complex’, a sort of ‘at the same time’ reduce the number of arrivals but also show ourselves more inclusive for immigrants already on our territory,” concludes Céline Bracq, Odoxa’s managing director.
During an appearance on the Europe 1 television station this month, the mayor of the French city of Cannes, David Lisnard, warned that immigration has become a major problem in France after it accepted a record 500,000 migrants last year. He says the government must bring immigration under control or risk societal consequences.
“It is communication itself that creates the problem. Immigration has become a major problem in France, we received more or less 600,000 people last year — 600,000. This is a (new) record. Hence, we must close the taps on immigration today, in the interest of the balance of French society,” said Lisnard.
