The President of the French Republic promised that the dismantling of the eerily-named "jungle" of Calais would happen. And so, on Monday morning, the evacuation began. Even if we can rejoice in the fact that for once, the president delivered on his word, the fact remains that this latest development raises many questions.
First of all, there's the communication plan: Nearly 700 journalists were accredited for the event. That's a ratio of one journalist to every two families. It doesn't get more cynical than that. By allowing such media density, the government has created a "Big Brother" of misery, where we can watch, with voyeurism, the trajectory of migrants and refugees who have fled horror to find themselves faced with the unknown. There are as many routes as there are vagabonds of war.
If the president and the government had set to work sooner, thinking about more than just the next election, the situation would have been settled differently.
The humanitarian situation had become a dire concern of the highest priority. In that sense, the dismantling of the "jungle" is a good thing. But one must wonder how in France, the land of human rights, such a place could have thrived for so long.
Now dispersed throughout 450 reception centers, the migrants can escape the dreaded criminal networks that have profited off of their weakness for a shameful business. But for how long? Will there be another "jungle"? Another Calais? Probably, since the management of the entire affair has been so short-sighted.
It would have been more sensible to propose a system of municipal-level voluntary homes, connecting local officials via large national associations. These latest orders are symbolic of a fictitious public power that has grown desperate: they are symbolic of the government's inability to negotiate, preferring to avoid trades and proposals.
The government's imposition may again stoke fears of immigrants and embolden the extreme right.
Obviously it would have taken more time, and such negotiations would have been difficult, but if the president and the government had set to work sooner, thinking about more than just the next election, the situation would have been settled differently. Moreover, French people would have been more involved in the decisions -- decisions that are not at all trivial. The government's imposition may again stoke fears of immigrants and embolden the extreme right. Mayors are left with no choice but to reassure their people.
Moreover, once the dismantling of the jungle is complete, the government will have to assume a clearer political line on immigration, otherwise the situation will not be sustainable. This critical issue can't be left in the fog. Specifically, asylum seekers who are eligible for permanent homes will be welcome in France, while all others will be returned without delay to their countries of origin. Priority will be given to refugees from the Syria-Iraq zone, unless they prefer to join Britain, in which case new border negotiations should be conducted, particularly now with a legitimate Brexit. This is the only way to ensure a migration policy that will be understood by the French and manageable by France.
However, special attention should be paid to unaccompanied minors. It is of course unthinkable that we would not protect the most vulnerable, namely children. Nevertheless, the government has left the departments to fend for themselves on that subject. But the departmental councils don't have the means to enact any effective public policies. They have neither the money nor the control they need to protect these minors, and it is endangering the country's entire child protection regime.
France undoubtedly has a moral duty to welcome these distressed, uprooted people, but this effort must be shared in a fair and equitable proportionality with all our European partners. The European Union can not fail to face the challenges posed by migration, otherwise its credibility and even its survival will be threatened. But France has lost considerable diplomatic power in recent years. Not just on immigration, but on agriculture and the economy as well. France has become sluggish, enclosed in a staggering silence. We have gone from being a founding member to a mere European observer. But we cannot resign ourselves to this gradual disintegration. The next president of the republic must restore a strong foundation to uphold our interests and help us shine once again in Europe.
Calais is a real commando operation of the French government. More than the dismantling, the outcome of this operation will reveal its fundamental elements. Unfortunately, we cannot expect anything more of leaders whose sole trademarks are improvisation and chaos.
This post first appeared on HuffPost France. It has been translated into English and edited for clarity.