French Prime Minister François Bayrou has ignited a political storm with his remarks on immigration, describing a "feeling of submersion" in areas like Mayotte.

Bayrou argued that immigration is beneficial only when it remains within certain "proportions," a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from the left.

Opposition leaders accused him of adopting rhetoric akin to the far-right, with Socialist leader Boris Vallaud warning of complicity in normalizing such views.

The controversy has led the Socialist Party to suspend budget negotiations, further straining government stability.

While some centrist and right-wing figures defended Bayrou’s comments as pragmatic, the debate has deepened divisions in French politics.