• The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan after a lightning conquest in the country. 

  • Emmanuel Macron warned Monday evening "against the significant irregular migratory flows" which could result from this victory of the Taliban. 

  • Criticized by the opposition, the President of the Republic is on a crest line on this migration issue a few months before the presidential election.

After their lightning conquest, the Taliban are now masters of Afghanistan.

What impact will this takeover have on European societies?

Emmanuel Macron spoke of possible migratory consequences during his televised address Monday evening.

"We must anticipate and protect ourselves against the significant irregular migratory flows which would endanger those who use them and would feed trafficking of all kinds", he assured.

This sentence sparked an uproar among officials on the left, while the right and RN called for firmness on the borders.

With the Afghan crisis, the Head of State finds himself under pressure on this sensitive subject, seven months before the presidential election.

A "sordid" response for the left

Emmanuel Macron assured that the government's priority was to evacuate its last nationals from Afghanistan. The Head of State also specified that France had the “duty”, also, “to protect” the Afghans who helped France and find themselves today threatened by the Taliban. This decision was welcomed by the political class, which was however divided on the issue of "significant irregular migratory flows" mentioned by the Head of State.

On the left, the rebels denounced a “sordid” response from Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of “stunting France”.

The candidate for the primary environmentalist Yannick Jadot himself said "flabbergasted" to hear "that the women, men and children who are fleeing the hell of the Taliban are first of all a threat".

We must "protect all those who are now subject to the right of asylum", for his part said the boss of the PS, Olivier Faure.

"We must learn the lessons of what happened in Syria in 2015"

Unconventional thing, Emmanuel Macron took care to do the after-sales service for his speech himself.

"What I said this evening about Afghanistan and that some want to hijack: France is doing and will continue to do its duty to protect those who are most threatened", tweeted the president shortly before midnight.

"We must give the right of asylum to all those who meet the criteria, and particularly to those who worked for our army or with French NGOs, who are today in danger", confirms Sylvain Maillard, deputy of Paris and spokesperson for the LREM group. "We do not have to be ashamed at all because we are one of the countries which welcome the most Afghans and which give them the most protection", underlined the Elysee on Tuesday, whereas since 2018, France granted asylum to around 90% of the estimated 10,000 Afghan asylum seekers.

"But Europe will also potentially face massive refugees," continues Sylvain Maillard.

We must learn the lessons of what happened in Syria in 2015, the European disorganization between those who welcome with open arms and those who close the door, to find a common policy ”.

A delicate subject as the presidential election approaches

Emmanuel Macron and his majority also intend to show their firmness on the migration issue. While the presidential campaign has already been launched, the subject is regularly an angle of attack for the right and the National Rally, which have already put pressure on the executive. "Europe, but also France will have to show a firmness which they have often lacked to avoid a destabilizing migratory wave", thus reacted the boss of the senators Les Républicains, Bruno Retailleau. "There is no doubt that this situation will entail, for our countries, an increased risk of attacks and the prospect of new waves of immigration," said Marine Le Pen.

Between the humanitarian drama and the migratory pressure, the macronists are on a crest line.

“You have to be generous but responsible.

We are neither in the angelism of the left nor in the zero immigration of the extreme right.

We will have to welcome what we can welcome, that is to say in good conditions, taking into account the integration process and paying attention to the possible terrorist risks of a migratory wave ”, indicates Sylvain Maillard, who hopes for "European coordination".

But for several years, the 27 members of the EU have been torn apart on the migration issue, without being able to develop a common asylum policy.

World

Crisis in Afghanistan: "The urgency is to secure our compatriots and our Afghan allies", declared Emmanuel Macron

Politics

Crisis in Afghanistan: Emmanuel Macron's remarks on migrants shock the left

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  • Afghanistan

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Europe

  • Migrants

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