Speaking to George Washington University students in the U.S. last week, the French President also acknowledged that “90 per cent” of African migrants arriving in Europe are economic migrants and not refugees.
Macron was prompted to address the topic after a student stood up to say that Americans have watched as mass immigration “from the Middle East and Africa to Europe … over the years”, resulting in the rise of violence, crime, and terror attacks on the continent.
Highlighting “an increase in sexual assault and rape of women to the point that many women are too afraid to leave home” and “an increase in anti-Semitism to the point that in many cities Jewish citizens are advised not to wear religious garb for fear of being attacked”, she asked the President what his government is doing “to ensure the national security and the cultural identity of France and Europe”.
“I am absolutely not naive. In our societies, we have a need for more security, more national security, especially for women,” Macron said, before stating: “I do not believe that these phenomena are linked to migration.”
Would you agree with Macron ?
Or
Is Macron off base ?