France’s interior minister has indicated that he will fight for stricter immigration rules, as the extreme right attempts to use a heinous murder to put pressure on the government.
In response to the arrest of a Moroccan man for the murder of a 19-year-old female student, Bruno Retailleau stated on Wednesday that the “abominable crime” necessitated not only words but also action, as far-right parties urged in their comments on the case.
“It is up to us, as public leaders, to refuse to accept the inevitable and to develop our legal arsenal, to protect the French,” claimed Retailleau. “If we have to change the rules, let’s change them.” Retailleau, a conservative Republican, has previously campaigned for harsher immigration regulations and faster deportations.
The suggestion is in line with the demands of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, which has threatened it could topple France’s fragile governing coalition if its immigration concerns are not addressed.
“It’s time for this government to act: our compatriots are angry and will not be content with just words,” RN chief Jordan Bardella said of the murder of the student, identified only by her first name Philippine
Greens lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau pushed back against the anti-migrant rhetoric, warning that the far right was using the murder case to “spread its racist hatred”.