Macron defiant after immigration legislation rows

French President Emmanuel Macron has insisted his government's controversial immigration legislation is "a shield we needed" during a live interview broadcast on TV network France 5.

The proposed legislation makes it harder for immigrants' children to become French citizens and delays migrants' access to welfare benefits.

The bill was approved by MPs in a late-night vote on December 19, though dozens of Macron's own MPs either abstained or voted against the tough new legislation.

Macron admitted that "I'm not over the moon with every part of the bill" but said that "political life consists of crises, of agreements and of disagreements."

The bill includes a host of measures designed to curb illegal migration, including quotas limiting the number of arrivals in France and tighter conditions for family residency permits.

One of the proposals introduces a five-year wait for people in what ministers call "an irregular situation" who wish to apply for social security benefits, which can be reduced to 30 months if the applicant has a job in a sector with labor shortages.

Macron argued that the immigration legislation "will allow us to fight against what nourishes the National Rally party."

The far-right National Rally (RN) embarrassed the government by voting in favor of the legislation, deeming the measures hard-right enough for them to support.

The RN leader in parliament, and former presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, called the legislation an "ideological victory" for her party.

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Olympics opening ceremony could be moved

Macron also told France 5 that the Olympics opening ceremony could take place elsewhere if a possible terror attack is detected two weeks in advance.

The Stade de France, the national stadium to the north of Paris, would be a clear back-up location.

The Paris 2024 opening event is scheduled to take place on July 26 on the River Seine in the center of the French capital and presents many logistical challenges.

More than half a million spectators are expected to watch the event from the banks of the river, and the hundreds of athletes due to take part in the parade will board dozens of different boats travelling down the Seine for the ceremony, which is due to conclude underneath the Eiffel Tower, to mark the formal start of the Olympic Games.

The first Olympic event gets under way on July 24, with some of the preliminary rounds of the soccer competition.

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