The French lower house of parliament is preparing to debate a contentious immigration bill that aims to tighten immigration rules. The bill, originally proposed by President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government, has faced criticism from both the far-right and hard-left factions. As the National Assembly takes up the debate, the outcome will serve as a significant test for Macron's administration.

The bill, which initially included measures to expel more undocumented individuals and enhance integration efforts, has undergone changes during its passage through the Senate. The Senate, which is controlled by the right, has influenced the text to lean more towards enforcement.

President Macron, speaking during a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasized the importance of the right of asylum and warned against neglecting it. He affirmed France's commitment to providing asylum to those whose rights are threatened in their own countries and stated that defending this right is foundational to the Republic and Europe's identity.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin will defend the bill in the National Assembly, starting at 4:00 pm (1700 GMT). The latest version of the bill further restricts migrants' ability to bring family members into France, birthright citizenship, and welfare benefits. However, an earlier rejection motion put forward by the Greens is expected to be voted on by lawmakers.

If the opposition unites in support of the rejection motion, it could be adopted, potentially interrupting the examination of the numerous amendments proposed for the bill. This would send the bill back to the Senate or possibly lead to its withdrawal by the government, which would be a significant setback.

Darmanin emphasized the importance of debating the bill and called a failure to do so a denial of democracy. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, echoed this sentiment and stated that rejecting the bill would be incomprehensible and self-destructive for the Assembly.

The bill's passage in the lower house of parliament is uncertain, as no side currently holds a majority. The support of the conservative Republicans (LR) is crucial for its passage. Darmanin attempted to apply pressure on the LR by highlighting the provisions that would lift protections for certain categories of foreigners who arrived in France before the age of 13 or have been residents for over twenty years.

Far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen announced that her National Rally (RN) deputies do not support the proposed legislation. As speculation grows, there are concerns that the government might invoke article 49.3 of the constitution, allowing it to pass legislation without a vote, as it did earlier this year with pension reforms. However, the government is keen to avoid using this controversial constitutional power, which can trigger a no confidence vote.

The bill also aims to expedite asylum application procedures, streamline the expulsion of foreigners deemed dangerous, and regularize the status of undocumented workers in sectors facing labor shortages. It also proposes setting an annual quota for migrant arrivals to be determined by parliament and curtailing non-emergency medical coverage for undocumented individuals.