Former Brexit Negotiator Warns of Le Pen Presidency Without Migration Reforms
In a recent, sharp critique, Michel Barnier, the former Brexit negotiator, vehemently criticised the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), urging for a “constitutional shield” to manage rising migration levels. His comments come amidst a broader debate on migration policies within the EU and France’s role in shaping these policies.
Barnier expressed concern over the European Court of Justice’s influence, which supervises the ECHR. He argued that the Court’s decisions have increasingly limited the ability of nations to act independently in matters of national security, while simultaneously expanding the rights of migrants, particularly regarding family reunification.
“You can find nothing in the French constitution about migration, and there is almost nothing in the European treaties. For 30 or 40 years, there’s a kind of interpretation that is always in favour of the migrants,” Barnier stated. He insists on rewriting European treaties to address these issues.
Furthermore, Barnier proposed a referendum in France to set migration quotas. This move, he believes, would spark necessary discussions at the European level. In the interim, he suggests creating a “constitutional shield” allowing national law to take precedence over European mandates, a measure he believes should be decided by the French populace.
Issuing a stark warning, Barnier highlighted the unpredictability of political outcomes, referencing Brexit and the potential election of Marine Le Pen as France’s President. “If we don’t do that — as Brexit was improbable and happened — something in France which is improbable could happen: the election of Ms Le Pen as president. I’m the only one in France perhaps to know exactly why the Brexit happened,” he added.
Barnier’s comments also extended to UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit strategy. When asked about Starmer’s plan to negotiate a “better deal” with the EU, Barnier’s response was sardonic: “Good luck!”. Story Source
