French Politician Faces Backlash Over Plan to Deport Migrants to Remote Island

Laurent Wauquiez's proposal to send migrants to Saint Pierre and Miquelon has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, jeopardizing his presidential prospects.

• Laurent Wauquiez, a leading figure in France's Republicans party, proposed sending migrants under deportation orders to detention centers in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a remote French territory near Canada.
• The plan has been widely condemned by political figures, including Manuel Valls and Marine Le Pen, both of whom criticized it as unfair and extreme.
• Wauquiez defended the proposal, comparing it to Australia's offshore processing policies, and argued that the island's harsh climate would act as a deterrent for migrants.
• The controversy has raised questions about Wauquiez's suitability as a presidential candidate, with some within his own party expressing concerns about his increasingly hardline stance on immigration.
• The debate reflects a broader shift in French politics toward stricter immigration policies, as the government and political parties adopt tougher rhetoric on security and deportation enforcement.

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The Independent