French health minister resigns over controversial immigration law

PARIS: France's health minister resigned as the government of President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday sought to quell a party revolt over the passing of tough new immigration legislation backed by the far-right.

Following 18 months of wrangling over one of the flagship reforms of Macron´s second-term, both chambers of parliament backed the controversial legislation on Tuesday, with Marine Le Pen´s National Rally (RN) endorsing the bill in a move some media dubbed a “kiss of death”.

Around a quarter of the 251 lawmakers in Macron´s camp voted against the bill or abstained and several left-wing ministers have registered their opposition to the bill. Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau resigned, although there were no immediate signs of other ministers following suit despite fears overnight.

Rousseau did not attend a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning and would be replaced on a temporary basis by junior minister Agnes Firmin Le Bodo, government spokesman Olivier Veran said. “There is no ministerial revolt,” he added.

Macron was expected to address the reform in a television interview on Wednesday evening, while Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne sought to put on a brave face, saying the adoption of the law had not provoked a “crisis in the majority.”