Former top European Union official Michel Barnier, who led the bloc’s fraught Brexit negotiations, says immigration to France should stop for three to five years and the Schengen system of free movement between member states needs reexamination.
The French politician, who according to some French media outlets is considering challenging Emmanuel Macron in next year’s presidential election, says immigration in the EU is “not working” and that the bloc’s external borders have become a “sieve.”
His remarks, made to a French television station Tuesday, are likely to be seized on by nationalist populists in central and southern European countries that have been increasingly critical of the Schengen system of free movement between member states on the grounds that the bloc’s external borders are porous.
The former French foreign minister told France Television, “I try to look at the problems as they are, in the way the French people live them every day and to find solutions and I think that effectively we need to take some time over three to five years and suspend immigration.”
He added: “I’m not talking about students, I’m not talking about refugees who must be treated with humanity and strength, but we need to rebuild the whole process. We need to talk to our neighbors, about the Schengen Agreement, we possibly need to put in stricter border controls.”
Britain acted like American Republicans. Bigoted. Short-sighted. Ultra-nationalist. They decided cooperation and membership in a world economic powerhouse wasn’t good enough. They wanted those blue passports. So the threw it all away and pretended they could still have all the advantages with none of the costs.
briangj2 almost 3 years ago
Former top European Union official Michel Barnier, who led the bloc’s fraught Brexit negotiations, says immigration to France should stop for three to five years and the Schengen system of free movement between member states needs reexamination.
The French politician, who according to some French media outlets is considering challenging Emmanuel Macron in next year’s presidential election, says immigration in the EU is “not working” and that the bloc’s external borders have become a “sieve.”
His remarks, made to a French television station Tuesday, are likely to be seized on by nationalist populists in central and southern European countries that have been increasingly critical of the Schengen system of free movement between member states on the grounds that the bloc’s external borders are porous.
The former French foreign minister told France Television, “I try to look at the problems as they are, in the way the French people live them every day and to find solutions and I think that effectively we need to take some time over three to five years and suspend immigration.”
He added: “I’m not talking about students, I’m not talking about refugees who must be treated with humanity and strength, but we need to rebuild the whole process. We need to talk to our neighbors, about the Schengen Agreement, we possibly need to put in stricter border controls.”
https://www.voanews.com/europe/former-top-eu-official-calls-immigration-halt
basilisk Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Britain acted like American Republicans. Bigoted. Short-sighted. Ultra-nationalist. They decided cooperation and membership in a world economic powerhouse wasn’t good enough. They wanted those blue passports. So the threw it all away and pretended they could still have all the advantages with none of the costs.
As Gritty says, “F around and find out.”
Valiant1943 Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Putin must be pleased