Overview

• Laurent Wauquiez proposed detaining foreigners under OQTF in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to force deportations and extend detention periods beyond 90 days.
• The French government officially dismissed the proposal, stating it is not under consideration and criticizing it as a political maneuver.
• Critics across the political spectrum, including Manuel Valls and Marine Le Pen, denounced the idea as reminiscent of colonial-era practices and disrespectful to the territory’s residents.
• The proposal has intensified internal tensions within Les Républicains, with Wauquiez using the measure to differentiate himself in the party's leadership race against Bruno Retailleau.
• Observers note the proposal reflects broader debates over immigration policy and the radicalization of rhetoric within the French political right.