In a surprise move on Monday, members of the opposition joined forces in the French parliament’s lower house to vote down the legislation aimed at hardening French immigration law without even debating the measures.

The government, which does not have a majority in parliament, has been locked in intense talks with the right-wing opposition in a bid to rescue the legislation.

READ MORE: OPINION: The French people are greater losers than Macron in immigration bill battle

“I am in favour of results and pragmatism,” Macron said on a visit to Brussels.

He called for an “intelligent compromise” in the name of “the general interest.”

“Our country needs to improve its rules to better fight against illegal immigration, traffickers, against those who take advantage of the world’s misery and who weaken our system by putting too much pressure on it,” he added.

A mixed parliamentary commission comprising upper house senators and lower house lawmakers is expected to meet on Monday in a bid to thrash out a compromise text.

Macron indicated he did not want to trigger article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows the government to pass legislation without a vote, as it did with contentious pension reforms earlier this year.

“It would not be serious to subject a sensitive text to article 49.3 when the opposition has done everything to ensure there is no debate,” Macron said.

He criticised the Republicans and the Socialists for joining forces with hard-left France Unbowed and far-right Rassemblement National to vote down the draft law.

“It was a game of obstruction and refusal of dialogue that the French people cannot understand,” Macron said.

“I don’t understand it either. Because we can agree or disagree, but I find it strange not to have dialogue.”

The frantic talks over the text of the bill come amid a heated debate in French society around immigration and security.

The rejection of the legislation was deeply frustrating for Macron, who many see as a potential lame duck as he sits out the rest of his term without being able to stand for a third time in 2027.