Bruno Retailleau, the candidate for the Les Républicains (LR) party in the upcoming French presidential election, has announced his intention to abolish the right of soil through a referendum. The right of soil is a legal principle allowing individuals to acquire French citizenship simply by being born on French territory, regardless of their parents' nationality. Retailleau believes that "judges would not accept" such a reform unless it is directly validated by the French people through a referendum. He made these comments on Tuesday, September 8, during appearances on CNews and Europe 1. Retailleau has previously stated that if he wins the presidential election in the spring, he would seek to revise the French Constitution to expand the range of issues that can be decided by referendum. This would include topics like immigration and penal policies. He emphasized that "it will finally be the French people who define immigration policy," and argued that "one cannot become French by chance." He suggested that the current system allows for citizenship to be granted automatically, which he views as undesirable. Earlier this summer, Retailleau had already expressed support for abolishing the right of soil, though he had not provided further details at the time. He referenced the recent abolition of the right of soil in Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, and questioned why the same approach should not be applied to the mainland of France, known as the "hexagonal territory." He argued that "one cannot become French secretly, in an automatic way," reinforcing his belief that citizenship should be more deliberately determined. If his constitutional reforms are approved, Retailleau plans to submit two draft laws to the French people via referendum. These would include a law to reduce immigration, which he claims has "become a burden" for France, and a law promoting a "strongly firm penal policy." His proposals reflect a broader political stance that emphasizes stricter control over immigration and a more punitive approach to crime, both of which are central to the LR party’s platform.