French Justice Minister Proposes Three-Year Freeze on Legal Immigration

France and Germany are proposing to tighten the rules for obtaining citizenship and legalizing migrants. French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin stated in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche that the country has "reached the limits of integration and assimilation." He proposed a three-year moratorium on legal immigration. He also suggested amending the Constitution to establish mandatory quotas based on the number of immigrants, their countries of origin, and their qualifications. Darmanin also advocated that work-based residence permits no longer automatically grant the right to family reunification.

New migration data has sparked a new wave of debate. According to Darmanin, France will issue 4.5 million residence permits in 2025, a 3.2% increase over last year. One in three documents was issued for family reunification.

Tighter immigration policies are also being discussed in Germany. According to Welt am Sonntag, more than 309,000 people received German citizenship in 2025—a record figure since statistics began being published in 2000. LINK