French Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau has resigned in the wake of the passage of a contentious immigration bill, as reported by French media late Tuesday.
While Rousseau’s resignation was covered by Le Figaro and Le Parisien, the German news agency (dpa) mentioned that it was still uncertain if Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne had accepted it.
A member of the government’s left-wing faction, Rousseau opposed the newly enacted stringent legislation.
The immigration bill has caused significant divisions within President Emmanuel Macron‘s center-right administration. The bill faced initial rejection from the opposition in the National Assembly before the full debate, leading a joint committee of parliamentarians and senators to seek a middle ground.
The government has had to make major compromises with conservative elements to gain their support, leading to dissatisfaction among its left-wing members. This resulted in several of Macron’s party members voting against the legislation.
The intention behind the bill, as stated by the government, is to enhance control over immigration and boost integration efforts. However, the bill’s passage revealed sharp divisions within Macron’s centrist coalition, particularly on the left of his Renaissance party.
Sacha Houlié, a prominent left-wing figure in Macron’s party who chaired the special committee on the law, was among those who voted against the bill.
