The French National Assembly rejected the government’s immigration control and integration bill on Monday at the first reading following the adoption of a preliminary rejection motion with a majority of 270 votes in favor and 265 against. The rejection motion was submitted by the National Assembly group Les Écologistes and hindered the examination of the bill planned for Monday.

The immigration bill, introduced in February by the French Minster of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, aims to improve deterrence measures for foreigners who are considered to be a threat to the public order, sanction migrant exploitation and improve border control. The bill also aims to facilitate the regularization process regarding the entry, residence and deportation of undocumented migrants.

The bill received severe criticism at the national and international level. The French independent administrative authority les Défenseurs des droits warned against the plan stating the objectives of the bill may constitute grave human rights breaches. Défenseure des droits Claire Hédon alerted against the conditions and the methods with which the bill was introduced, underscoring the decline of foreigners’ fundamental rights. Human Rights Watch (HRW) further raised concerns in a November report and urged the government to “Ensure Safeguards, Humane Treatment.”

Darmanin reportedly presented his resignation letter to President Emmanuel Macron following the vote in favor of the rejection of the bill, which was tuned down by the president. Darmanin supported the bill ever since its introduction and is well-known for his anti-immigration views. He expressed his intentions to continue combatting irregular immigration and his strong motivation to obtain measures against it, stating that he “regret[s] that we are wasting time to protect the French.”

France’s immigration bill is not a unique case as other European countries have taken similar measures to deter undocumented migrants and restrict immigration. The French government has since convened a joint commission composed of seven deputies and seven senators in order to reach an agreement on the bill.