PARIS: France’s government insisted Tuesday it would implement tough measures against illegal migrants as it battled a political crisis following the rejection of its flagship immigration bill in the lower house of parliament.

In a surprise move on Monday, members of the opposition joined forces in the National Assembly to vote down the controversial legislation aimed at hardening French law — without even debating the measures. The rejection of one of the government’s flagship initiatives is a humiliating defeat for French President Emmanuel Macron who does not have a majority in parliament and comes amid a heated debate in society around immigration and security.

Macron held a crisis meeting Tuesday with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and key ministers, deciding to maintain the bid to pass the bill and send the legislation back to a parliamentary committee, the government said. According to a government source, Macron at a later cabinet meeting denounced the “cynicism” of members of the opposition, accusing them of seeking to “obstruct the country.” “We need a law on integration and immigration,” Macron was quoted as saying. Speaking in parliament, Borne said that by joining forces the left-wing NUPES alliance and the far-right were doing a disservice to the French.