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France: regularisation programme

01 May 1997

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The new Socialist-led government has announced that between 20,000 and 40,000 migrants and political refugees are to get residence permits. Only six days after taking office, Prime Minister Jospin authorised the regularisation of immigrants, most of them Africans, who have found themselves "without papers" (sans papier) due to contradictions in successive immigration laws. This decision, a public rejection of racist National Front doctrines exploited by the previous conservative government to seek electoral popularity, ends a 15-month struggle that included last summer's occupation of the St Bernard church in Paris. The categories of people to be given residence permits includes parents of children born in France, partners of French people or legally resident immigrants, people already well integrated into the French society, political refugees in danger if they were deported to their country of origin, foreigners undergoing treatment for a serious medical condition, and students. This measure corresponds with the recommendations for a reform of the immigration law given by the Commission national consultative des droits de l'homme in September last year. Until the immigration law is changed in the autumn, each case will be examined individually.

The move is in sharp contrast to immigration policy in Germany and the UK and runs contrary to the "Fortress Europe" mentality.

Le Monde, 11 & 12.6.97.

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