Europe still safe for migrants despite far-right surge
Migration looks to be the biggest topic for voters in the upcoming European Parliament elections in May. The most recent Eurobarometer survey shows that 40 per cent of Europeans consider immigration to be one of the two most important issues facing the European Union. Immigration was the highest reported of all issues, far ahead of terrorism or the economy.
While some subjects, like the Dublin Regulation, are so politicised and difficult that reform can appear implausible at this point, there are still numerous, discrete migration-related issues where the EU parliament has been able to act.
In 2018, the parliament passed three resolutions for which non-governmental organisations and civil society actors in the migration field have been campaigning.
The first was a call to end the detention of migrant children. A second resolution called on member states to prevent the criminalisation of humanitarian assistance. And the third resolution requested the European Commission to submit proposed regulations for a European Humanitarian Visa, which would provide a safe, legal pathway to a particular member state for people seeking protection.
While these resolutions did not create widespread changes in the EU’s migration policy, they were steps that could help save or improve the lives of many — children trapped in prison-like conditions, humanitarian workers and volunteers (and the people they rescue), and people around the world who need a safe way to escape from violent conflict or other desperate situations.
Thus, the upcoming elections are important not just for how they might impact high-level migration policy, but also because they have major consequences for how the parliament will approach these ‘small’ yet important migration topics. This especially because these types of actions are likely to focus on the most urgent humanitarian and human rights issues.
Looking at how parliament ministers voted on these resolutions, all passed either by a show of hands demonstrating a clear majority, or in the case of humanitarian visas, by a large majority of 429–194. It thus appears unlikely that a surge by far-right parties could change the parliament’s course on migration on its own. The far-right and/or Euroskeptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy, Europe of Nations and Freedom, and European Conservatives and Reformists groups currently hold 151 out of 751 seats in the parliament. Even large gains by these groups are unlikely to give them a majority.
Even if far-right groups and positions gain ground following the upcoming elections, the EU parliament can continue its work to support human rights, humanitarian action, and a more humane system of migration. —IPI Global Observatory
Monica Li is the content editor for the Migration Policy Group
Even if farright groups and positions gain ground, the EU parliament can continue its work to support human rights, and a more humane system of migration.