This is one of the hot topics on the new Prime Minister’s desk. Michel Barnier has made no secret of it: as soon as he takes office on Friday 6 September, “immigration control” will be one of his priority issues.
The Matignon resident is currently studying the institutional way of dealing with the issue, either through a specific ministry or through a migration centre attached to different ministries. “The work is underway,” say those close to him.
Whatever the outcome of these discussions, there is one point that the new government will have to clarify quickly: does it intend to deviate from European legislation on immigration or not?
The temptation has long existed on the right. Michel Barnier himself proposed in 2021, during the presidential campaign, to repeal the European immigration law “when the fundamental interests of the nation are at stake”. Last year, LR launched the same refrain during the preliminary debates on Gérald Darmanin’s immigration law.
“Today the configuration is different,” Matignon replies when recalling Michel Barnier’s previous positions.
While clearly closing the door to this anti-European option.
Because, since the mismanagement of French public finances is preventing financial and budgetary Europe from moving forward, a departure from Community law would seem to be the beginning of a Frexit that would not give its name. A middle finger to the entire European architecture that would stigmatise France within the European Union.
Favoring the community level
Because it is at the European level that the real reform of migration flows must be carried out today.
After nine years of negotiations, Europe finally equipped itself in the spring with a complete arsenal to better deal with migration crises.
The Pact on Asylum and Migration, adopted by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the liberals of Renew and the conservatives of the EPP, provides for better control of arrivals, a solidarity mechanism to distribute migrants among member countries and an acceleration of the procedures for processing asylum applications.
This European coordination is incipient and fragile. It is not a given, as demonstrated by the closure of German borders on Monday and the refusal of the Netherlands to implement this new framework.
But we must be clear: like all major challenges, the solution to migration problems can only be based on community, not on a policy of every man for himself.
Source: BFM TV
