France passes controversial immigration bill amid deep division in Macron’s party

Strict new law contains so many hardline measures that the far-right Marine Le Pen has claimed it as an ideological victory'

The French government is facing a political crisis after the health minister Aurelien Rousseau offered his resignation in protest over a hardline immigration bill.

Emmanuel Macron's ruling centrist party was divided and soul-searching on Wednesday after a strict new immigration law was approved by parliament but contained so many hardline measures that the far-right Marine Le Pen claimed it as an ideological victory" for her own anti-immigration platform.