ABSTRACT
This paper examines the contrasting approaches to immigration governance in Spain and France, two European nations with shared colonial histories and EU membership yet divergent policy trajectories. While Spain has developed a pragmatic, decentralized model emphasizing labour market needs and regularisation programs, France maintains a centralized, assimilationist framework rooted in republican unity. This paper traces the historical development of immigration policies in both countries, analyzes the influence of political ideologies and party systems, and assesses the impact of EU directives and internal socio-economic factors on policy outcomes. Through comparative policy analysis, the research highlights how institutional structures and national narratives shape migrant integration. The findings underscore that immigration policy is inherently political, reflecting deep-seated notions of citizenship and belonging. The study reveals that Spain's inclusive pragmatism and France's restrictive assimilationism each create distinct categories of inclusion and exclusion, illustrating the broader contest over the boundaries of national identity in contemporary Europe.
