French President Emmanuel Macron will soon send political party leaders a proposal to simplify the procedure for calling referendums, which could include a referendum on immigration, which is still a very sensitive topic in France, AFP and Agerpres reported.

In a letter addressed to party leaders from across the political spectrum on Thursday, Macron summarized the discussions he had with them at a meeting on August 30 aimed at overcoming the deadlock and divisions over the lack of an absolute majority in parliament. National Assembly

One of the topics was the convening of referendums, and “in the coming weeks” Macron will announce a proposal to expand the use of this tool, which could therefore be used on the issue of immigration after the revision of the Constitution.

In his six-page letter, the president acknowledges that the issue of immigration is a matter of known divisiveness and cannot be avoided. The immigration bill “will be considered in parliament this autumn” and immigration could be the subject of a referendum, if agreement is reached on a constitutional review that would change the range of topics that can be submitted to such a general consultation. .

It will also be necessary to deal with the integration of foreigners, the president notes.

The French government has been trying for months to pass a draft law on immigration, but it has found itself caught between, on the one hand, the right and the extreme right, which reject the legalization of the status of undocumented migrants working in sectors facing a labor crisis, and, on the other hand, the left, who consider such an imperative measure.

Macron wants to reduce immigration to France

In an interview with the weekly Le Point, Macron reiterated that he wants to “significantly reduce immigration”, a stark contrast to the position he took during the migration crisis caused by the Syrian civil war, when he said that EU countries that refused to accept migrants should be expelled from the Schengen zone.

“Countries that don’t want more Frontex (the EU’s border police agency) or more solidarity will leave Schengen. Countries that don’t want more Europe will no longer touch structural funds,” he said in 2018.

As in all European countries, this is a sensitive topic in France, where, according to official data, approximately 10% of the population are immigrants, and 35% of them have also obtained French citizenship.

The new talks on the migration referendum come just over a week after the French government banned the abaya, a headscarf traditionally worn by Muslim women, in schools.

Earlier this week, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal also proposed a debate on the restoration of school uniforms in educational institutions in order to protect the secularism of the French state.