Protests erupt in Paris over immigration law

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - Hundreds of opponents of France’s new immigration law gathered Thursday near the Louvre Museum in Paris, demanding that it be repealed.

Protesters, including migrants, argued that the law is racist and anti-foreigner. Police took security measures in the area.

Amid the fervor of dissent, political factions also weighed in on the contentious issue.

The France Unbowed party (LFI) expressed satisfaction over the Constitutional Council's decision to strike down significant provisions of the law.

However, they called for its complete annulment, denouncing it as a "disgrace" to the principles of the rule of law.

Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally party (RN), accused the Constitutional Council of colluding with President Emmanuel Macron to dilute key regulations within the law.

Bardella labeled the law as "stillborn" and demanded a national referendum to address the escalating concerns surrounding migration.

In response to the mounting pressure and discord, Macron issued a directive to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, urging the swift implementation of the immigration law

France's constitutional court rejected large parts of the much-contested immigration law on Thursday.

The Constitutional Council said in a statement that it entirely or partially rejected more than a third of the articles in the law.

The rejected articles included restrictions on family reunification and the crime of irregular residency in France.