Presidential: in Mayotte, Marine Le Pen advocates firmness against immigration

Europe 1 with AFP 6:39 p.m., December 16, 2021

Marine Le Pen, welcomed Thursday in Mayotte with wreaths of flowers and drums, called for "great firmness" against especially Comorian immigration on this island in the Indian Ocean, where the RN presidential candidate also judged the 'terrifying' insecurity.

"We must at the same time bring support and affection, and a very firm policy to give a future to the young people of Mayotte," she said, campaigning in Mayotte until Sunday, then in Reunion till Tuesday.

The only one to speak "very often" about Mayotte

Claiming that she was "the only one" to "speak very often" about Mayotte, the far-right candidate delivered "a terrifying observation of what (the Mahorais) live on a daily basis. Massive immigration and all the consequences: an explosion of insecurity (with) theft with violence, assault and battery, which today even affects children in their ability to study ".

According to an INSEE study published in November, using figures from 2018 and 2019, "the feeling of insecurity is very strong in Mayotte: nearly half of people feel insecure often or from time to time, at their home or their neighborhood, that is to say five to six times more than the inhabitants of the Hexagon ".

In particular, "18% of households declare that they have been the victims of a burglary or a non-break-in theft, four times more than in mainland France. In addition, the inhabitants of Mayotte are personally three times more victims of theft with or without violence ".

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A few dance steps to the sound of the drums

On leaving the plane, the representative of the RN sketched a few dance steps to the sound of drums before being questioned by sympathizers who demanded "actions". "We want actions, we no longer want promises," said Nema Ali-Said, 36, unemployed, member of Codim, a group that had participated in the movements of illegal "decasing" of 2016, aimed at expel those he considered illegal. "This scourge (of immigration) is killing Mayotte and we do not know who to count on today," added the young woman, who is not included in the RN.

"On me !"

Marine Le Pen replied, repeating wanting to "remove the right to the soil, stop the suction pumps" of immigration and advocating "strong diplomatic action" with neighboring Comoros, so that "those who are in an irregular situation return at their home".

Small island located between Madagascar and the East African coast, Mayotte, where 77% of the population lives below the poverty line, faces strong illegal immigration mainly from the Comoros islands which are only 70 km from its ribs.

Marine Le Pen promises to "restore authority"

The candidate pointed to the "consequences" of insecurity on investments, offering more means of police, gendarmerie and "surveillance" of the maritime space. In the afternoon, she heard from the family of a 17-year-old high school student, Miki, killed in April on the way between his high school and the school bus in the north of the island. The tragedy, followed by the death of another young person, had provoked demonstrations to demand "justice".

"This French department does not deserve what we see there", testified the grandfather of the young man in front of Marine Le Pen who promised to "restore authority" and to double the number of magistrates.

"This is why I am a candidate. If the promises were kept, I would be swimming in the lagoon," she quipped.

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Emmanuel Macron's "contempt" for the inhabitants

Marine Le Pen also mocked his opponent Emmanuel Macron, who came to Mayotte in 2019 and who said on Wednesday that he had "learned to love" the French.

"To be obliged to learn to like the French, (...) that means all the contempt which he shows" towards them, estimated the candidate.

In the first round of the 2017 presidential election in Mayotte, Marine Le Pen came in 2nd place behind François Fillon with 27.28% of the vote.

In the second round, she had gathered 42.85% of the vote behind Emmanuel Macron (57.15%).

The candidate did not meet as planned the Grand Cadi, religious (Muslim) representative of the island, due to an error in the latter's agenda, according to the RN.