Thu Sep 26 14:08:25 UTC 2024: ## EU Sleepwalking into a Migration Crisis: Right-Wing Push Threatens Cooperation
**Brussels, October 2023** – The European Union is teetering on the brink of a major crisis over migration policy, as right-wing forces push for a shift away from shared responsibility towards individual national solutions. This could spell disaster for the bloc, potentially dismantling its core values and undermining the Schengen zone, the free movement area encompassing most EU members.
The current surge in migration has amplified existing tensions. Hungary and the Netherlands are demanding the right to opt out of EU migration policies, while France’s new Home Affairs Minister is calling for a revision of the recently agreed EU Migration Pact, citing its perceived ineffectiveness.
Meanwhile, the EU’s partnership with Tunisia is facing scrutiny after reports of abusive treatment of migrants by Tunisian authorities. This throws into question the effectiveness and morality of the EU’s “partnership” strategy, where countries are paid to prevent migrants from reaching Europe.
Several member states, including Italy and Germany, are increasingly favoring a “processing outside EU territory” model, similar to the Italy-Albania agreement, where migrants are transported to a third country for asylum processing. However, Albania has made it clear it is not willing to play the role of a “bouncer” for the EU.
The right-wing shift in Sweden is also concerning. The new government plans to prioritize skilled migrants while expressing concerns about a “clash of values” with those from North Africa and the Middle East.
With Austria’s upcoming elections potentially seeing the far-right Freedom Party gain ground, the pressure on the EU to compromise on its values and embrace a fragmented approach to migration is mounting.
The European Parliament, already grappling with potential delays to its hearings for the nominated commissioners, is caught in the middle of this escalating crisis.
The EU is faced with a stark choice: either succumb to the demands of right-wing forces and abandon a unified migration policy, risking the disintegration of the Schengen zone and undermining its core values; or double down on a European solution, potentially at the cost of human rights and ethical considerations. The consequences of inaction are immense, and the clock is ticking.
First Piper 