Located close to the impoverished Comoro islands off the East African coast, the former French colony has become the centre of fierce social unrest, with many residents blaming undocumented immigration for the deteriorating conditions.
Much poorer than mainland France, Mayotte has been shaken by gang violence and social unrest for decades.
Since January, island residents have been staging strikes and erecting roadblocks to protest against what they say are unacceptable living conditions, paralyzing large parts of local infrastructure.
It comes less than three weeks after France's highest court scrapped large parts of a new immigration law designed to toughen access to welfare benefits for foreigners and curb the number of new arrivals into the country.
Immigration is a hot-button issue in France, one of Europe's strongholds for far right anti-immigration parties.
Persons:
Gerald Darmanin, Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, Tassilo Hummel, Sophie Louet, Bernadette Baum
Organizations:
PARIS
Locations:
Mayotte, Madagascar, France, Republic