French National Assembly to vote on Socialist plan to legalise undocumented workers, covering an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people

Lawmakers in the French National Assembly will vote on a Socialist Party proposal to grant amnesty to an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 unauthorized immigrants employed in France.

The proposal was introduced by Socialist lawmaker Paul Christophle. He praised Spain's Pedro Sanchez for having 'chosen to provide foreign nationals with the legal means to settle and work' instead of 'trying — in vain — to control migration flows.'

Earlier this year, Spain moved to grant legal status to half a million unauthorized immigrants who could prove they had been living in Spain for at least five months, could provide proof of employment or a familial link to the country and did not have a criminal record.

Christophle wants to grant legal status to an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people who have been employed in France for over six months but without proper documentation.

Centre-left presidential candidate Raphael Glucksmann is expected to endorse the measure. Glucksmann has previously expressed support for such a step in multiple interviews.

The bill is likely to unite left-leaning MPs in the French National Assembly, but opposition from centre-right and far-right groups means it will probably fail.

Glucksmann's campaign hopes the proposal will highlight a rift between lawmakers backing French President Emmanuel Macron and voters who elected him in 2022, some of whom are more progressive on issues like immigration.

Glucksmann's rival Edouard Philippe believes that amnesty plans should be contingent on a European agreement. An official backing Glucksmann said the debate on immigration will be an effective way to differentiate Glucksmann from Philippe.

Among those who voted for Macron in 2022, 29% plan to vote for Raphael Glucksmann next year, according to a Cluster17 poll commissioned by POLITICO, against 49% for Edouard Philippe.

Glucksmann is currently projected to receive 13% of the overall vote, according to the poll, against 16% for Philippe. They both trail far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen (33%) and Jean-Luc Melenchon (18.5%). The top two candidates will advance to a runoff if no one wins a majority in the first round.