The leaders of the nationalist right are pushing for more restrictive immigration policies amid the debate on security, borders, and national identity.
The hardening of the immigration discourse is gaining
prominence in Europe. Marine Le Pen, in France, and Alice Weidel, leader of
Alternative for Germany (AfD), advocate for profound changes in immigration
policies and promise to strengthen border controls and deportation measures.
They have been doing so for some time, not just now that the crisis has
erupted.
In France, Le Pen remains at the top of the polls for the
2027 presidential election. An average of surveys published on October 19 gave
her around 45% of the vote in the first round.
In Germany, Weidel has intensified her criticism of European
immigration policies. On October 21, she called for profound reforms in the
European Union and argued that if the Schengen Area does not guarantee
effective control of external borders, member states should regain the capacity
to protect their own borders. She also advocated for the expulsion of foreign
nationals who should not be in the country.
Both leaders have linked immigration to issues of security,
social cohesion, and the ability of governments to control their territories.
They have also defended the preservation of their countries' cultures. Their
proposals resonate within a context of public concern about security and the
cost of living, concerns that are now being voiced more forcefully, but which
have existed for some time in France, Germany, and several other Western
European countries.
Their supporters maintain that greater border control is
necessary to ensure compliance with the law. And in this context, Alice Weidel
is polling at up to 49 percent.
Beyond electioneering, the challenge for governments will be
to demonstrate which measures produce concrete results and what their economic,
social, and humanitarian consequences are, with the defense of their countries
and citizens as the priority. This is why more and more French and Germans view
the departure of their current left-wing leaders as a top priority.