Prime minister François Bayrou drew sharp rebukes including from some of his allies on Tuesday after saying there was a growing feeling that immigrants were "flooding" France, reports the San Francisco Examiner.
While the leftist opposition accused Bayrou of spreading far-right ideas and centrist allies also criticised him, immigration hardliners in the government and outside praised his suggestion.
"Foreign contributions are a positive for a people, so long as they remain proportionate," Bayrou told the LCI news channel late Monday.
"But as soon as you get the feeling of flooding, of no longer recognising your own country, its lifestyle and its culture, rejection appears."
He said such a feeling was not yet widespread, but it was growing and "some cities and regions" were already experiencing it.
Immigration hardliners interior minister Bruno Retailleau and justice minister Gérald Darmanin defended Bayrou, with Darmanin saying it was "progress" to recognise that "a certain proportion of foreigners on French soil cannot be exceeded".
Read more of this report from French news agency AFP published by the San Francisco Examiner.