France slammed its fist on the table against the Maghreb by announcing the reduction in the number of visas granted in the midst of renewed nervousness in relations with these countries. The measure gives right-wing and far-right voters a pledge on immigration within seven months of the presidential elections.
The granting of visas will be tightened in a few weeks for nationals of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, who “refuse” to issue the consular passes necessary for the return of immigrants returned from France, announced the government spokesperson Gabriel Attal on Europe 1.
The decision, “drastic”, “unprecedented”, is “made necessary by the fact that these countries do not accept to take back nationals that we do not want and cannot keep in France”, he justified. confirming an upcoming drop of 50% in the number of visas issued for nationals of Morocco and Algeria and of 33% for those of Tunisia.
Paris claims to have shown patience since the first negotiations in 2018 on this subject. Accused by the right and the far right of not expelling enough, he points to the responsibility of the three countries. “There was a dialogue, then there were threats. Today we are putting this threat into action,” Mr. Attal insisted.
Referendum on immigration
Morocco has taken note of a decision it describes as “unjustified” and which “does not reflect reality”, via its Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior communicated to AFP on Tuesday, Algeria issued between January and July 2021 a total of 31 consular passes for 7,731 obligations to leave France (OQTF) pronounced, and 22 expulsions carried out , or an execution rate of 0.2%. This rate is 2.4% in Morocco and 4% in Tunisia.
Emmanuel Macron, who had promised at the start of his five-year term a 100% execution rate for deportations to the border for all countries combined, in June asked his government for measures “very quickly”. Priority: the expulsions of illegal foreigners who have committed acts of terrorism or who have been registered for radicalization, and those who have committed crimes and offenses and other serious offenses.
The announcement comes on the day that far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen presented her proposed immigration referendum. “Since January, 99.8% of expulsions ordered to Algeria have not been carried out. The government will have waited until September to crack down on visa granting,” the latter criticized on Twitter.
The migratory question dominates the presidential pre-campaign, in particular with the arrival on the front of the stage of the polemicist Éric Zemmour, who rehashes the topic of the “great replacement” of the European population by an immigrant population.
“We are in an election campaign. There is a race to the right”, estimates Béatrice Hibou, research director at CNRS and specialist in Morocco. “Tensions around migration policies, there have always been. But they are managed diplomatically, without much publicity, “she continues, calling the announcement” shocking “and” electoral”.
“Stability” of the Maghreb
It also intervenes in a tense diplomatic context, which “outrageous” statements will not help, observes Vincent Geisser, researcher at the CNRS, specialist in the Arab and Muslim world.
“These very harsh words will cause a lot of disapproval in the Maghreb” when there was until then a “good understanding” on migration and terrorist issues, which the French government considers linked, he continues.
Relations between Paris and Rabat are parasitized by the Pegasus affair, named after spyware that Morocco has been accused of using, which Rabat has denied.
Relations with Algeria remain complicated, in particular by the question of memory. Algerian President Albdemadjid Tebboune again demanded in June recognition of the events that occurred during colonization (1830-1962). Emmanuel Macron has undertaken a series of symbolic acts in recent months, including in early September his request for “forgiveness” from the Harkis, Muslim auxiliaries who fought alongside the French army during the Algerian War (1954-1962).
The context is further complicated by Algeria’s severance of its relations with Morocco, an issue in which Paris pleads for “dialogue” in the interest of “stability” in the Maghreb.
As for Tunisia, France has so far underlined “the need to preserve calm and the rule of law” after the coup by President Kais Saied, who granted himself the executive power that he has just strengthened. to the detriment of government and Parliament.
