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Affinité politique

🌍 Issue

Immigration: what each candidate thinks

By Fadrique Garcia Font · Reviewed on 19/10/2026

A referendum on immigration, birthright citizenship, legal status for undocumented workers, priority for French citizens in social housing and jobs, State medical aid (AME) and family reunification.

6 questions, 66 candidate positions and 6 complete disagreements (how they are assigned).

What each candidate proposes on this issue

A summary of their positions on the questions in this issue, based on their programmes, statements and the votes of their party’s group. Details and sources, question by question, below.

Attal

Disagrees: “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

In between: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Dupont-Aignan

Agrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Disagrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

In between: “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”

Glucksmann

Agrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Disagrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Le Pen

Agrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Disagrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Lisnard

Agrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Disagrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Mélenchon

Agrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Disagrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Philippe

Agrees: “Family reunification should be suspended”

Disagrees: “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

In between: “There should be a referendum on immigration”

Retailleau

Agrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”

Disagrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

In between: “Family reunification should be suspended”

Roussel

Agrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Disagrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Tondelier

Agrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

Disagrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Zemmour

Agrees: “There should be a referendum on immigration”; “Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished”; “Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first”; “Family reunification should be suspended”

Disagrees: “Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status”; “Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME)”

There should be a referendum on immigration.

Article 11 of the Constitution does not currently allow a referendum on immigration: it would first have to be amended.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 5 in favour, 2 in between and 4 against.

Birthright citizenship (“droit du sol”) should be abolished.

A child born in France to foreign parents can become French, subject to residence conditions, at 18 or earlier. A 2025 law restricted this right in Mayotte.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 5 in favour, 0 in between and 6 against.

Undocumented workers who have a job should be given legal status.

Today residence permits are granted case by case. The 2024 law created, on a trial basis, a residence permit for jobs with labour shortages.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 4 in favour, 0 in between and 7 against.

Social housing and jobs should go to French citizens first.

Today access to social housing or to a job cannot depend on nationality for foreigners living legally in France. Supporters of “national priority” propose amending the Constitution.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 2 in favour, 1 in between and 8 against.

Undocumented migrants should keep access to State medical aid (AME).

AME covers healthcare for undocumented migrants who have lived in France for more than three months, depending on income.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 4 in favour, 1 in between and 6 against.

Family reunification should be suspended.

Family reunification allows a foreigner living legally in France to bring their spouse and children under 18, subject to income and housing conditions.

Of the 11 candidates with a position on this question: 5 in favour, 1 in between and 5 against.

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Who do you agree with on this issue?

The questions in this issue are part of the full test. On 6 of them the candidates hold opposite positions, so your answer matters.

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