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Media speculate over far-right 'kiss of death' for Macron

Far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen claimed the parliamentary approval of the French government's new legislation cracking down on immigration, and which depended upon her party's support, was an "ideological victory" partly because for the first time an immigration law would recognise the principle of "national preference" which she has long called for.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

French President Emmanuel Macron may have won a law on immigration, but has he lost his soul, asks BBC News.

The accusation is being made at after a dramatic day in French politics which saw the presidential party given what one newspaper called the "kiss of death" by Marine Le Pen's hard right.

Unable to steer its original version of the immigration reform through parliament, the government had to accept a number of tougher changes forced on it by the mainstream right.

It was that or admit to legislative incapacity on an issue that French voters all say is close to their hearts.

Swallowing the harder-line version of the immigration law was bad enough for many in President Macron's centrist Renaissance party and its allies.

What became unendurable was the coup pulled by Ms Le Pen as the vote in the National Assembly approached on Tuesday afternoon.

Out of the blue she announced that the toughened-up version of the law was now, thanks, she said, to the pressure of her 88 deputies, quite satisfactory.

More than that, she claimed it was an "ideological victory" because for the first time an immigration law would recognise the principle of "national preference" - long a cherished goal of her National Rally party.

Read more of this report from BBC News.