France's deportations rise

The French government has moved to tighten immigration controls in the hope of winning back voters for Marine Le Pen's far-right party.

The French Interior Ministry said that deportations of migrants living illegally in the country will increase by nearly 27 percent in 2024, with about 22,000 people deported. The data comes as Paris looks to tighten immigration policies amid rising support for the far-right.

According to preliminary figures from the ministry, nearly 13,000 migrants were forcibly deported, about 5,000 were helped to leave the country and about 4,000 left France voluntarily.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retalo has prioritized tighter immigration controls and efforts to combat drug-related crime in a bid to win back voters for Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN).

French Justice Minister Gérald Darunin, who previously served as Interior Minister, welcomed the figures, writing in a message: "I am delighted with these results, thanks to the decisive policy we pursued in the first nine months of last year, which Bruno Rittalou continued."