Left to right: Renzi, Juncker, Hollande, Trudeau, Merkel et al at the G7 summit in Japan, May, 2016. Carolyn Kaster / Press Association. All rights reserved.The European Institutions and the Governments of the Member States pretend to be deeply concerned by the rise of far-rights movements in the Union: but this is only posturing and opportunism. Declaring themselves appalled by their xenophobia and their hostility against migrants and refugees, the truth is quite different. No special acumen is needed to understand this. Since last year, European and national policies on immigration are incorporating and emulating the positions of the far-right, without any noticeable reservations.
The slogans of Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini – “help the refugees in their own homes”, “expulse them all together” – uttered without once considering the reasons that lead migrants to flee – do not any more boast their exclusive hallmark. They have become the foundation-stone of European policies in this field. The Austrian government, when it decided to close its borders – again today proposing relegation of refugees to the Greek or Italian islands, following the Australian model – have already signed up to the slogans of Norbert Hofer’s party.
“Migration compact 2.0” as proposed by Prime Minister Renzi, and broadly approved by the European institutions and by the Commission who proposed a similar plan on June 7, expresses precisely the same views: let’s help them in their own homes, mostly in Africa but also in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran, since the majority of asylum seekers and migrants originate from there. The EU-Turkey deal, agreed on March 7, represents the role model. It provides for a disbursement of funds for six billion euros to be paid in two tranches.
