France’s 2027 presidential hopeful David Lisnard calls for return of illegal-stay offence

David Lisnard says France should bring back the offence of illegal residence, abolished in 2012, as he positions himself for the 2027 presidential election. “It is obvious that France must restore the offence of illegal residence. This offence was abolished in 2012. It is absurd,” the Cannes mayor said on CNews.

Lisnard made the proposal while discussing the migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain, where a large influx of migrants from Morocco occurred this summer. He also called for a constitutional revision to give France more room to set immigration quotas.

“We need to revise the Constitution to escape the grip of European case law so we can determine, like many democracies, quotas to decide whom we accept,” Lisnard said. He described the right to shape a nation’s population as fundamental and proposed visa processing and detention centers outside Europe’s borders.

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It is obvious that France must restore the offence of illegal residence. This offence was abolished in 2012. It is absurd.

Lisnard leads Nouvelle Énergie and serves as president of the Association of Mayors of France. He is not tested in most opinion polls and favors a primary to decide between candidates from the right and center. He has also made the fight against bureaucracy a central theme of his campaign.

The mayor said he had already gathered the 500 sponsorship pledges required to stand for president. He expressed confidence that the pledges would be confirmed in February after the decree convening the election is published.

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We need to revise the Constitution to escape the grip of European case law so we can determine, like many democracies, quotas to decide whom we accept.