- France’s Senate backs a bill to ban marriages for undocumented migrants.
- The bill targets sham marriages used for residence permits and nationality.
- Critics argue the bill is unconstitutional and fuels xenophobia.
France’s Senate has passed a bill aimed at banning undocumented migrants from marrying in the country, as part of the government’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the bill, which was backed by Immigration Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, passed the upper house with 227 votes in favor and 110 against.
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The legislation seeks to close loopholes in immigration laws, particularly targeting sham marriages that may facilitate the issuance of residence permits or French nationality.
It reflects a broader rightward shift in French politics following the 2023 legislative elections, which resulted in a hung parliament.
However, critics argue that the bill is unconstitutional. In 2003, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a foreigner’s irregular immigration status should not be an obstacle to marriage.
Green Senator Mélanie Vogel condemned the bill as a “full-scale attack on the Constitution,” while Socialist lawmaker Corinne Narassiguin claimed it would stoke xenophobia and racism.
The bill was introduced in response to controversial cases, including one where a mayor in northern France was taken to court for refusing to officiate a wedding in 2023. The wedding involved a former mosque leader who was later deported. A similar situation occurred in the southern town of Béziers, where a mayor was summoned for refusing to marry a French woman to an undocumented Algerian man.
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The bill now heads to the National Assembly for further approval. If passed, it would significantly alter France’s stance on marriage for undocumented migrants, despite widespread criticism from left-wing lawmakers.
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