Brussels (Brussels Morning) France president Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will push for action on migrant issues once it takes over the rotating presidency of the EU from Slovenia in January next year.
Speaking to the regional newspaper la Voix du Nord, Macron touched upon the rising crisis facing Poland and the Baltic states, which Belarus has caused by funneling hundreds of migrants flown from the Middle East towards EU borders, with Minsk encouraging them to make illegal border crossings into Poland and Lithuania.
Citing the need for action, Macron vowed to carry out reforms once France assumes the presidency of the EU. The promised measures would “prevent the establishment of lasting camps, act to dismantle the smuggling networks and strengthen work with the countries of origin to prevent these flows”, he declared.
European diplomats told Reuters it would be even more difficult to achieve compromise between the richer northern EU states and the poorer Mediterranean states over where to situate the migrants, given that they wish to reside in the former, yet initially arrive in the latter.
Most attempts at reworking the current model are likely to become sidelined, as the French EU presidency will overlap with the French presidential elections, in which Macron will most likely seek a second term.
With public opinion on migration in France boosting the ratings of far-right, anti-immigrant politicians such as National Rally leader Marine le Pen and conservative pundit Eric Zemmour, Macron will be keen to appear tough on migration ahead of the election.
In his remarks to la Voix, Macron also acknowledged the ongoing problem between France and the United Kingdom, with around 22,000 migrants crossing the Channel this year. “We have the British, who oscillate between partnership and provocation. We need to further strengthen collaboration.” He went on to note that the system of smuggling migrants needs to be broken up, and that those who have relatives in Britain should be able to join them through family reunification process.
