The French Interior Minister announced the country will make significant changes in the migration policy, through a severe reduction of benefits paid to immigrants.
France's Socialist President François Hollande remained rather vague on immigration during his election campaign, as he fought for the presidency against the then incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy who
promised a tough stance to halve the number of new immigrants.
Now in office Hollande's government appears to be tightening its position on migration by reducing the benefits immigrants are entitled to. French Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced that from March 1, 2013, financial assistance to immigrants will be reduced by 83 percent,
Pravda reported.
Additionally the current payments made to migrants that voluntarily offer to leave France will be reduced from €300 per adult, to €50. Payments to minor will be cut from €100 to €30.
Valls said that if financial maintenance of migrants continued at the current level it would devastate France's economy as many migrants do not work as they are expected to.
France has endeavoured to promote integration amongst immigrants by stressing the secular law of the country. However, the
French riots of 2005 included many young men from immigrant housing projects with high concentrations of unemployment. Potentially, slashing their benefits, could lead to more riots.
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