French parliament to vote on legalizing undocumented workers

France's National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, will vote on Nov. 19 on a Socialist Party proposal to grant legal status to an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 immigrants who work in France without proper documents. The bill was introduced by Socialist lawmaker Paul Christophle. It will probably be defeated, but it carries political weight ahead of the presidential election.

Who would qualify

The measure would cover people who have been employed in France for more than six months without documentation. Its text praises Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for having chosen to give foreign nationals legal means to settle and work, rather than trying in vain to control migration flows. Earlier this year Spain moved to legalize half a million immigrants who could prove at least five months of residence, employment or a family link to the country, and who had no criminal record.

Electoral calculation

Center-left presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann is expected to back the vote; he has already voiced support for such a step in several interviews. His campaign wants to set itself apart from centrist candidates Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe, and from radical-left rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Left-leaning MPs are likely to vote together, but center-right and far-right groups oppose the bill.

An official backing Glucksmann said Philippe believes amnesty plans should depend on a European agreement, and that the debate could help distinguish the two. The campaign also hopes to win over Emmanuel Macron voters.

Polling

According to a Cluster17 poll commissioned by POLITICO, 29% of those who voted for Macron in 2022 plan to vote for Glucksmann next year, versus 49% for Philippe. Overall, Glucksmann stands at 13%, Philippe at 16%, Mélenchon at 18.5% and far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen at 33%. If no one wins a majority in the first round, the top two candidates advance to a runoff.