French presidential candidate Édouard Philippe highlights integration failures and proposes stricter immigration controls and legal reforms to combat violence.
Integration failure acknowledged
Édouard Philippe, a candidate for the French presidential election from the party Horizons, stated in an interview with Point that the failure of integration in France over several decades is undeniable. He emphasized that the issue is clear and needs to be addressed.Youth from immigration overrepresented in violence
Philippe pointed out that young people from immigrant backgrounds are overrepresented in the violence around demonstrations. He noted that this overrepresentation was evident during the violence on October 18 and described it as obvious.Proposed immigration restrictions
Philippe proposed measures to halve legal immigration. His suggestions include limiting residence permits to professional and student reasons, restricting family reunification, reforming asylum processing, and strengthening ties with countries of origin, particularly Algeria, by criticizing the 1968 treaty.Education and national service reforms
He emphasized the need to reinvest in the school system, better transmit republican values, and restore compulsory national service. Philippe argued that integration is smoother in a prosperous and growing society, suggesting that expansion, not shrinking, will save France.Tougher sentences for vandals
Facing acts of violence, Philippe advocated for strict measures, including ultra-short but effective prison sentences for first offenses and minimum sentences for repeat offenses against those who have authority. He also proposed that perpetrators reimburse the damage they cause, with the State deducting funds from wages or social benefits to compensate victims.Preventive measures and legal reforms
Philippe wished to strengthen preventive tools against those exploiting demonstrations for disorder, such as administrative prohibitions and mandatory police check-ins before mobilizations. He called for "legally rearming the State" against the return of ultra-left violence and considered "conceivable" a "temporary regulation of social networks, regulated by law."
