Mayotte “needs exceptional measures”.
The new Minister Delegate for Overseas Territories Marie Guévenoux defended this Monday morning on franceinfo the announcement of the abolition of land rights in Mayotte.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on Sunday a constitutional revision, already controversial, intended to remove land rights on the Indian Ocean island, which is facing a serious migration crisis and an explosive social and security situation.
This “French department is experiencing an exceptional situation and needs exceptional measures to help it get out of the situation in which it is”, supported Marie Guévenoux, highlighting the strong “precariousness” on this island.
“We will put an end to land rights in Mayotte, because the conditions of Mayotte justify it,” she assured this Monday morning.
She also supported the announcement of the end of the territorialized visa, a system preventing holders of a Mahorais residence permit from coming to France, “a very strong demand from the Mahorais”, she assures.
End of land law and territorial visas in Mayotte: "I am sure that we will have the support of the Mahorais parliamentarians", declares Marie Guévenoux, Minister Delegate in charge of Overseas Territories pic.twitter.com/3b5oHBMVsj
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) February 12, 2024
Calling for support from the right on these subjects, she declared that she was “sure that we will have the support of Mahorese parliamentarians.
» Some have already reacted, like the Mayotte Les Républicains deputy Mansour Kamardine, who applauded Gérald Darmanin's announcement, even criticizing him for having taken too long to announce it.
“It’s up to the president to decide”
This announcement comes as the 101st French department has been paralyzed since January 22 by blockages and roadblocks installed by “citizen collectives” protesting against insecurity, uncontrolled immigration and demanding the abolition of territorialized visas.
Read alsoRemoval of land rights in Mayotte: “A form of division of the application of the law on the territory”
Unsurprisingly, this announcement divided the political class.
Applauded by the right and the far right, it is vilified by the left.
The Socialist Party and La France insoumise have already promised to oppose any revision of the constitution, denouncing the risk of the end of land rights in France, if Marine Le Pen comes to power.
The way in which this constitutional revision will be carried out, by vote in Congress or referendum, has not been decided, declared Marie Guévenoux, “it will be up to the president to decide”.
Guest on CNews-Europe 1, the deputy for Marseille and coordinator of La France insoumise Manuel Bompard reiterated his opposition to the abolition of land rights in Mayotte.
“I do not believe at all that this is the measure that most of the Mahorais are asking for,” he insisted.
Manuel Bompard: “I don’t believe at all that this is the measure that most of the Mahorais are asking for” in #LaGrandeInterview pic.twitter.com/A03F4xuYos
— CNEWS (@CNEWS) February 12, 2024
According to him, this overseas territory needs “more Republic” and we must therefore not “undercut the law of the land which is a pillar of the Republic”.
Manuel Bompard called for an end to territorialized visas, to welcome “some of the minors” from Mayotte “in France” and to initiate a “balance of power” and “discussions” with the Comoros, a country which has a “responsibility in the flight of [its] population.”
Last May, France and the Comoros promised to “coordinate their efforts” against trafficking and smugglers.