The refugee crisis dominates the news on a daily basis. Shedding crocodile tears at every tragedy in the Mediterranean is a pathetic exercise. While the subject is indeed inflammable, burying one’s head in the sand is not a response to reality.
Chasing after the incessant attacks from the National Front or countering Nicolas Sarkozy’s quasi-fascist stance (by the way, what was his policy on this matter when he was in power?) by displaying the greatest firmness saves face but does not solve the problem.
The French authorities claim that France is taking more than its share of the burden with 62,735 asylum applications out of the 625,000 recorded in 2014,
This is only partially true: it was surpassed by Germany (200,000), Sweden (81,000), and Italy (64,000). The example of the Syrians is eloquent: France commits to receiving 1,500, while Germany has accepted 20,000.
Being firm against illegal immigration and fighting the sinister trafficking mafias is one thing. Not assuming one’s duty of solidarity is another.
The European Commission is asking France to take in 6,750 asylum seekers present in Italy and Greece over two years. This urgent relocation measure concerns the 40,000 Eritrean and Syrian asylum seekers who have arrived in the two countries.
Under this binding decision for member states, France will need to take in 17% of the migrant quota concerned. For comparison, Germany is supposed to take in 5,258 from Italy and 3,505 from Greece.
This request follows repeated calls from Italy, which wants to distribute the reception of migrants arriving in Europe among the European Union’s member states.
Another aspect – termed resettlement – also provides for the reception of 20,000 migrants in member states, but this time it is merely a recommendation. This time, France is expected to receive 2,375 asylum seekers recognized as such by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which is 12% of the workforce concerned.
In total, the European Commission is proposing that France take in 9,127 people, which would place it in second position among contributors, behind Germany, if the plan were validated as it stands.
