After Student Murder, France’s New Government Responds to Far Right’s Demands for Stricter Immigration Policies

PARIS (Reuters) – France’s newly formed government is considering tightening immigration laws, as the interior minister faces pressure from the far-right National Rally (RN) following the arrest of a Moroccan man suspected of murdering a 19-year-old woman in Paris.

The RN, led by Marine Le Pen, has seized on the murder of the young student, referred to only as Philippine by officials, as justification for its demands for stricter immigration and crime policies. Philippine was reported missing by her family last Friday, and her body was discovered the next day in the Bois de Boulogne park, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.

The suspect, a 22-year-old Moroccan man with a prior conviction for rape in France, was arrested in Geneva on Tuesday and is awaiting extradition to France, as authorities move to deport him.

Amid mounting pressure from the RN, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that he would consider legislative changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future. "In the face of such a tragedy, which follows many others, we cannot simply condemn it or express outrage," he said. "It is our responsibility as public officials to update our legislation to better protect the French people."

Retailleau, affiliated with the conservative Republicans party, had already indicated earlier in the week that France might adopt significantly tougher immigration and security measures, reflecting what he described as a growing rightward shift throughout Europe.

The case has highlighted the influence of the RN in Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government, particularly regarding immigration and crime concerns. The RN emerged as a key player after this summer’s legislative elections, providing tentative support to Barnier but reserving the right to withdraw if their demands are not addressed.

RN leader Jordan Bardella criticized the government’s approach to security and immigration, calling for more decisive action. "Our compatriots are angry and will not settle for mere words," he wrote. "Philippine’s life was taken by a Moroccan migrant who was subject to a deportation order."

Meanwhile, Greens lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau cautioned against allowing the far-right to exploit the murder to promote racist views.

France leads the EU in deportations of non-EU citizens, according to official Eurostat data. However, the country issues far more expulsion orders—two to five times the number issued by Germany in recent quarters—resulting in a low ratio of actual enforced expulsions.

In the first quarter of 2024, France ordered the expulsion of 34,190 non-EU citizens, accounting for nearly a third of all EU expulsion orders, but only managed to deport 4,205 individuals. Factors such as bureaucratic inefficiencies, diplomatic disputes, and the reluctance of certain countries to accept individuals with criminal records contribute to the discrepancies between ordered expulsions and actual deportations.