Quickly apply the European pact on asylum and migration, revise the return directive, the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, announces his policy of firmness even if it means getting closer to the European radical right.
He is the new arrival at the EU Council table. Frenchman Bruno Retailleau participated on Thursday (October 10) in his first meeting of ministers responsible for the Interior. Before taking his first steps on the European scene, the French representative had already set his political scene: he wants more firmness in matters of migration policy.
On his arrival in Luxembourg, theformer president of the Republicans in the Senate assured to observe a European convergence in order to protect citizens “migratory shocks“.
For the political analyst of the European Policy Center Eric Maurice, Bruno Retailleau is consistent with the political guarantee that he must provide within the French minority government and behind which the shadow of the extreme right constantly floats.
“Bruno Retailleau is a pledge given to the French right and the far right in terms of discourse, since Bruno Retailleau is quite tough on migration issues“, he explains.
At the end of the early legislative elections in July no group obtained an absolute majority. The left block, the New popular frontcame first in front of the presidential camp (Together for the Republic) and the far right of National gathering. The Republicans of the Prime Minister gathered 6% of the votes. The political survival of this government team, which relies on the presidential center and the Christian Democrats, therefore depends on the parties outside the coalition.
Action within the European framework
After calling for the reform of the European Asylum and Migration Pact, adopted last spring after years of difficult negotiations, Bruno Retailleau is now calling for its implementation as quickly as possible, even “anticipated“.
The French minister also wants to review the “return directiver”, the guiding principle of which is to return any irregular migrant to the country of origin or transit. This text, adopted in 2008also sets the duration of detention and processing of minors’ cases.
The regulations have been developed “in a radically different world. It (the directive) is poorly named because in reality the returns directive prevents many returns“, assures Bruno Retailleau.
The French Minister of the Interior adds “do not rule outno a priori solution” on the transfer of migrants in centers outside the European Unionlike the agreement between Italy and Albania. “All innovative solutions must be used“, he assures.
This radical discourse resonates on a European scale. L’Germany has reintroduced controls at its land borders, the far right is making progress at the polls in several member countries, The Netherlands reform their asylum policy, Hungary was sentenced in June by the Court of Justice of the EU to fine of 200 million euros because the country is accused of “subtracted in a systematic and deliberate manner” to European asylum policy.
“Perhaps Bruno Retailleau saw this political opportunity“, recognizes Eric Maurice. However, “I think he has an especially national vision. He is also someone who is not extremely well known on the national political scene. He was in the Senate, he was the leader of the right-wing group in the Senate. But he must carve out a national political stature. He must assert his political identity. I think we are on a proactive discourse to mark our political territory within the coalition“.
Bruno Retailleau also caused controversy about the rule of law. He believes that this principle “is not intangible or sacred“, a comment quickly reframed by the French Prime Minister.
These outings, however, seem to have seduced the Hungarian sovereignist leader. Viktor Orbanadmitted to the press at the European Parliament in Strasbourg having “lots of respect” for the French minister.