Presidential election 2027: Édouard Philippe wants to "completely" close the "flow valves of immigration" to Mayotte

On the eve of a trip to Mayotte, Édouard Philippe significantly hardened his stance on immigration. The Horizons candidate for the 2027 presidential election wants to suspend new asylum applications in the archipelago and establish a moratorium on the main immigration routes.

“To build the future of Mayotte, the urgent priority is to close the floodgates of immigration. Not halfway. Completely.” In an interview published Thursday, August 20, by France Mayotte Matin, Édouard Philippe takes a particularly firm stance. The former Prime Minister, who is scheduled to visit the archipelago on Friday and Saturday, promises that, if elected President of the Republic, he will suspend the registration of all new asylum applications in Mayotte “as long as the territory remains saturated.”

A moratorium on immigration to Mayotte

Édouard Philippe also wants to completely suspend birthright citizenship for several years and establish a "total moratorium" on immigration pathways during his five-year term, including for family reunification. He is also proposing the creation of a "French return center" in East Africa to facilitate the faster removal of undocumented immigrants in Mayotte.

The Horizons candidate justifies these measures by citing the migratory pressure on the department, which had approximately 323,000 inhabitants at the beginning of 2026, nearly half of whom were foreign nationals. "What is the point of creating an additional pull factor for African immigration, adding to the already uncontrolled Comorian immigration? It's absurd, hypocritical, and dangerous for the territory," he argues. For Mayotte, Édouard Philippe has now set two priorities: "regaining control of migration" and accelerating reconstruction and major infrastructure projects following the damage caused by Cyclone Chido.