French Minister Promises Immigration Reform After Student’s Murder

France’s new right-wing interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, has vowed to tighten immigration laws following the murder of 19-year-old university student Philippine, whose body was found in Bois de Boulogne Park, The Guardian reported yesterday.

A 22-year-old Moroccan man, previously convicted of rape and ordered to leave France, was arrested in Switzerland as a suspect. Retailleau condemned the crime as “abominable” and emphasized the need to enhance legal measures to protect citizens, stating, “If we have to change the rules, let’s change them.”

The suspect had been released in June after serving his sentence but was placed on a wanted list for violating release conditions shortly before the murder. The incident has ignited political tensions, with calls for stricter justice measures from both far-right and left-wing leaders. Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally, criticized the justice system as “lax,” while former president François Hollande urged for swift enforcement of deportation orders.