Presidential 2027: Bruno Retailleau toughens stance on immigration, favors ending birthright citizenship

Bruno Retailleau, a candidate for the Les Républicains (LR) party in the 2027 French presidential election, has intensified his stance on immigration. He is now advocating for the abolition of birthright citizenship, known as "droit du sol."

In an interview, Retailleau stated his support for ending birthright citizenship, arguing that its counterpart, assimilation, is no longer functioning effectively. He also plans to "drastically reduce" family reunification processes and eliminate automatic financial aid for new foreign residents. Under his proposals, foreigners would need five years of legal residency and employment to qualify for benefits.

Retailleau criticized the National Rally's immigration policies, calling them "demagogic promises." He asserted that he does not aim to appear more legitimate than the far-right party on immigration but rather to persuade voters. He accused the National Rally of changing its positions on nearly all issues.

If elected, Retailleau pledged to align France with a "coalition of states" promoting "migratory firmness," citing Italy under Giorgia Meloni as an example. He also intends to push for changes in European regulations to limit territorialized visas to their country of issuance. He expressed the view that "Africa's future is not in Europe, but on the African continent," rejecting the idea that climate change should justify a "civilizational change."