France’s conservative Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, has called for tighter immigration policies following the arrest of a Moroccan man for the murder of a 19-year-old female student. Retailleau emphasized the need for action rather than just rhetoric to prevent such “abominable crimes” in the future. He stated that if the rules need to be changed to protect the French, then they should be changed.
Retailleau’s stance aligns with the far-right National Rally party’s demands for stricter immigration rules. The party has warned that it could disrupt the government coalition if its concerns about immigration are not addressed. However, Greens lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau criticized the anti-migrant rhetoric, accusing the far right of spreading racist hatred under the guise of addressing the murder case.
The murder suspect, a 22-year-old Moroccan national, had been convicted of rape in 2021 and was due to be deported from France after serving his sentence. However, due to administrative delays, he was released from detention and subsequently disappeared. This incident has highlighted the challenges France faces in enforcing deportation orders, with only a small percentage of them actually being carried out.
As the government grapples with the aftermath of the murder and the calls for stricter immigration policies, the debate over how to address immigration issues in France continues to intensify. Retailleau’s firm stance and the far-right’s demands for action reflect a growing concern over immigration policy and its implications for public safety.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
