As the election for a fresh European Parliament looms within two months, the current parliament has consented on some of their most impactful measures this week. It has been evident for a while that the EU asylum seekers’ policy needed amendments. However, conflicting interests among member states and political factions resulted in sluggish progress.
With an increasingly fragmented and likely more aggressive post-election scenario, the EU has succeeded in finalising a set of comprehensive new legislations. These laws will bring a tougher stance against those requesting international protection, implementing quicker claim assessments and prompt deportations of unsuccessful applications. The new plans also include sharing the impact, which predominantly affects the southern members where most asylum seekers land and promoting better cooperation and data exchange.
These reforms have elicited controversy and met with criticism from human rights proponents, in addition to the left and Green parties, who foresee an increase in unjust results. The measures also received objections from the anti-immigration right parties, who anticipate boosting their parliamentary representation in the elections and call for a stricter approach.
The policies found favour with representatives of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but saw objection from other MEPs from Ireland. Chris MacManus from Sinn Féin took the initiative to put forth that his party did not support “open borders”, a statement that has been repeated in the party’s recent declarations, indicating that Sinn Féin might be under suspicion from its right wing regarding immigration.
In parallel to the new policies, Ursula von der Leyen, the EU Commission president, along with several national leaders, are persisting with their negotiation efforts with the countries lying around the Mediterranean’s southern coast, the origin point for most asylum seekers. A deal last month with Egypt, severely criticized, succeeded a similar accord with Tunisia’s dictatorial government. Talks with Morocco are purportedly ongoing. This strategy of “outsourcing” the asylum process to governments with questionable human rights credentials has justifiably been denounced as a compromise on EU’s proclaimed values.
The unfolding events of this week have evidently been spurred by the growing enthusiasm for native-first and anti-migration factions within the EU, a trend noticed in the build-up to the elections in June. The parties in mainstream politics are hopeful that these fresh initiatives might curb the progression of such inclinations. However, there’s speculation as to whether these steps are simply providing more ammo for the far-right. The verdict is yet to be given. One thing’s for sure – the influx of people, who in the midst of violent unrest, poverty, and environmental changes, undertake perilous journeys in pursuit of an improved existence in Europe, shows no signs of abating.