Mayotte: Minister Lecornu seeks to 'draw the wall' against immigration promised by Macron

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Mayotte, announcing "two slight shifts" in policy to combat illegal immigration. However, he indicated that "major announcements" would be reserved for the upcoming presidential election campaign, a strategy that appears designed to distance him from the contentious issue.

Upon landing, Lecornu proceeded to the Dzaoudzi naval base. His two-day visit, which included Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin, centered on the operational command for combating illegal immigration. Lecornu emphasized the importance of security matters, stating, "If we are not good on the sovereign issues, we will not be good either on the political, economic, social, or environmental issues for the archipelago."

This approach mirrors that of Édouard Philippe, who visited the archipelago just five days prior to relaunch his presidential campaign. Both figures used the issue of immigration in Mayotte as a focal point for their political messaging. Lecornu, who maintains he is "not a candidate for anything," opted for a more measured announcement strategy compared to Philippe.

Le Figaro reported that the article is reserved for subscribers, with 82% of the content remaining inaccessible. This suggests a detailed exploration of the government's strategy and the political implications of Lecornu's visit is available in the full piece.

The visit highlights the ongoing challenges France faces in managing immigration, particularly in overseas territories like Mayotte, which is geographically closer to East Africa than mainland France. The government's approach appears to balance immediate, albeit minor, policy adjustments with strategic political positioning for future elections.

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If we are not good on the sovereign issues, we will not be good either on the political, economic, social, or environmental issues for the archipelago.