On December 20, the National Assembly passed a law known as the “immigration law”. The result of a compromise between Renaissance, les Républicains and the Rassemblement National, its adoption marks a turning point in the attitude of the government and the “centre”: where previously they pretended to stand up against the far right, they are now openly adopting its racist ideas and allying themselves with it without shame.
The French far right applauded the passing of this law, which other fascist parties in Europe are praising and hoping to replicate. And it’s easy to see why: it incorporates directly some of the racist ideological pillars of the far right, such as national preference.
The target of this racist law is no secret: by attacking welfare benefits, birthright citizenship and family reunification, it targets specifically poor foreign workers, the majority of whom are non-white. This is reinforced by the government’s promise to clamp down in 2024 on the Aide Médicale d’Etat (State Medical Aid), of which the disgusting plan to abolish had been strongly denounced. The law’s repressive measures, including the introduction of an offence of illegal residence, will enable the police to unleash their violence even more on these populations, by arresting them arbitrarily on the slightest “suspicion”.
This law’s agenda is that of the far right: violence. Violence from the state, whether exercised through social services (or in this case their inaccessibility), the justice system or the police. It heralds the future, with a government that will continue to exercise ever more violence against foreigners, but also against people with French nationality. Because its attacks on social benefits, freedom, education and research will extend to everyone.
The STJV is firmly opposed to this law and to any restrictions on people’s rights and social benefits, no matter who they apply to. We defend the right for everyone, without restriction, to be able to reside wherever they wish and to live there with dignity, in peace. We call on all workers to join the actions opposing this law, and in particular the mobilisations on Sunday 14 and 21 January.