Parliament Deadlocks Over UDR Plan to Bar Marriages for Irregular Migrants

Overview

• UDR deputies relaunched the proposal on Thursday to require foreign spouses to prove regular residence before marriage and to bar unions for people in an irregular immigration situation.
• Left‑wing groups used hundreds of amendments and procedural motions to stretch debate and block a vote, prompting UDR deputies to leave the hemicycle in protest.
• Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin publicly supported the text’s aim to protect mayors but said he would not, for now, use article 44(2) of the Constitution to curb amendment examination and force a vote.
• An earlier version that would have outright banned marriage for people in irregular situations was removed last year after judges and many deputies judged it likely unconstitutional, which shapes current drafting and legal risks.
• With the debate stalled, the bill’s adoption is uncertain and could face judicial review if advanced, while the standoff leaves mayors, affected couples, and party leaders waiting for a government decision on procedure and next steps.