France’s plan to end birthright citizenship in Mayotte: what does it mean and why is it controversial?

Mayotte is a French overseas region in the Indian Ocean, part of an archipelago that also includes the Comoros Islands. Unlike the rest of the archipelago, which became independent from France in 1975, Mayotte voted to remain part of France and became a department in 2011. However, Mayotte is also the poorest and most densely populated department of France, with a population of about 270,000 people, of which 42% are foreigners, mostly from the Comoros Islands.

Many migrants from the Comoros Islands risk their lives to cross the sea to Mayotte, hoping to access better living conditions, social services, and education. They also seek to obtain French citizenship for themselves and their children, as France grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil, regardless of their parents’ nationality or legal status. This has led to a high birth rate in Mayotte, with about 10,000 births per year, of which 70% are to foreign parents. This means that about 7,000 children born in Mayotte each year automatically become French citizens, even if their parents are undocumented migrants.

This situation has caused social and economic problems in Mayotte, such as overcrowding, unemployment, poverty, crime, violence, and lack of public services and infrastructure. It has also sparked resentment and anger among the local population, who feel that their identity and culture are threatened by the influx of migrants.

In response to these challenges, the French government announced on February 11, 2024, that it will propose a constitutional amendment to end birthright citizenship in Mayotte. This means that children born in Mayotte will only become French citizens if at least one of their parents is French or has a legal residence permit in France. The French government claims that this measure will reduce the attractiveness of Mayotte for migrants and help restore order and stability in the island. It also says that it will respect the international conventions on the rights of the child and the prevention of statelessness, and that it will only apply to Mayotte and not to the rest of France.

However, the plan has also sparked controversy and criticism from various groups and perspectives. Some argue that it is a violation of the universal principle of birthright citizenship, which is a core value of the French Republic. Others say that it is a discriminatory and racist policy that will create a second-class citizenship and increase social exclusion and marginalization. Some also doubt that it will effectively deter migration or solve the underlying problems of Mayotte.

The constitutional amendment will need to be approved by both houses of the French parliament and by a referendum in Mayotte, which could take several months or years. The issue of Mayotte is a complex and sensitive one, that reflects the challenges of managing migration, identity, and citizenship in a globalized world.