President Macron faces party rebellion over France immigration bill

 French President Emmanuel Macron is confronting a significant revolt within his own party as a toughened immigration bill, gaining support from the far-right under Marine Le Pen, triggers dissent among left-leaning deputies.

Despite Macron's ascent to power in 2017 with a centrist movement uniting the left and right, the unity is now under strain over the immigration bill. The government sees the legislation, aimed at tightening immigration rules, as crucial to addressing far-right concerns, but amendments have further tightened the measures, leading the left to accuse the government of yielding to far-right pressure.

Le Pen endorsed the revised bill, marking a potential ideological victory for her National Rally (RN). Some left-leaning members of Macron's Renaissance Party and allied factions signaled a loss of support, with ministers reportedly considering resignation.

Le Pen commented, "We can rejoice in ideological progress, an ideological victory even for the National Rally." The RN, which initially planned to vote against or abstain, changed course after a new draft was agreed upon by a commission of senators and MPs.

The legislation faces successive votes in the Senate and the National Assembly. While the government has the numerical advantage on paper, concerns are rising within Macron's camp about a potential rebellion leading to defeat.

Prominent left-leaning MP Sacha Houlie announced he would vote against the bill, urging others to follow suit. Macron called a meeting of his ruling party ahead of the vote to address the situation. There are warnings of potential resignations from ministers.

Passing the bill is crucial for Macron, who cannot seek re-election in 2027 after two consecutive terms, and it is seen as a test of his mandate's strength. The legislation has faced criticism from NGOs, with around 50 groups describing it as potentially the "most regressive" immigration law in decades.

Key elements include conditional social security benefits for foreigners based on their presence in France, migration quotas, and measures allowing the stripping of French nationality for dual-national convicts. The bill's passage is considered a pivotal moment for Macron's presidency.