{"id":122399,"date":"2023-12-20T12:49:15","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T12:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yourclomid.com\/?p=122399"},"modified":"2023-12-20T12:49:15","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T12:49:15","slug":"disaster-for-emmanuel-macron-as-rebellion-takes-hold-and-top-minister-quits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yourclomid.com\/world-news\/disaster-for-emmanuel-macron-as-rebellion-takes-hold-and-top-minister-quits\/","title":{"rendered":"Disaster for Emmanuel Macron as rebellion takes hold and top minister quits"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Emmanuel Macron managed to push through a flagship immigration bill on Tuesday night – but this victory came at a huge price, as it left the French President’s government coalition deeply scarred.<\/p>\n

Signs of the cracks in the coalition have already started to appear, as Health Minister Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau submitted his resignation on Wednesday in response to the adoption of the legislation.<\/p>\n

More may quit in the next hours, as Mr Rousseau had reportedly set up a meeting with France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne alongside Higher Education Minister Sylvie Retailleau and Housing Minister Patrice Vergriete.<\/p>\n

The controversial legislation approved by the French Parliament is introducing a series of measures reducing access to social security benefits to foreigners.<\/p>\n

Non-French nationals will be able to apply for state welfare aid only after being residents in France for at least five years – or 30 months if they have a job.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong> Emmanuel Macron holds ‘three crisis meetings in 24 hours’ after immigration row<\/strong><\/p>\n

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These measures are clearly reminiscent of those same policies Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party has been demanding for years.<\/p>\n

Indeed, despite Ms Le Pen’s being Mr Macron’s arch-enemy on the political stage, the National Rally voted in favour of the latest version of the government’s bill – leaving red-faced many in the French President’s party.<\/p>\n

The final vote saw a total of 349 MPs – including members of Mr Macron’s centrist coalition, the conservatives and 88 National Rally MPs – approving the bill, while 186 politicians voted against it.<\/p>\n

A whopping 27 MPs belonging to the French President’s centrist coalition voted against the latest version of the legislation.<\/p>\n

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Mr Macron is now left to deal with protests from the left, which opposed the bill, allegations he is pandering to far-right voters and a coalition in tatters.<\/p>\n

The co-head of the Centrist Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories group, Bertrand Pancher, had asked the government to withdraw the text “as we are facing a grave political crisis”. While the LIOT group is not part of Mr Macron’s coalition, it often supports the government.<\/p>\n

Far-left politician Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon hit out at the president calling the legislation a “sickening victory”.<\/p>\n