The topic of immigration is a major focus of political discussion in the country leading up to the presidential elections, with candidates from both the right and left taking strong stances. The recent tragedy of 27 migrants drowning off France's coast has fueled the debate on the need for immigration control. Despite heated rhetoric during the campaign, the reality is that France actually has a lower percentage of immigrants in its population compared to its neighboring countries. Over the past ten years, immigration rates in France have increased at a slower pace than in other European countries and wealthy nations globally. According to migration expert François Héran, the immigration situation in France is considered to be average and moderate. "We are not a country overwhelmed by immigration, but politicians have still made promises to pause immigration, hold a referendum, or close borders. Unlike other wealthy nations like Germany and Australia, who are attracting migrant workers to address labor shortages due to the pandemic, France is considering raising wages instead of allowing more immigrants into the country. Economic discussions are rarely connected to immigration in France; instead, the focus is on national identity. There are concerns that traditional French identity is at risk from Muslim immigrants from Africa, which has dominated immigration debates for years. Recent terrorist attacks, some carried out by children of immigrants raised in France, have only intensified these fears." In France, concerns about immigration have had a significant impact, leading to political consequences, hindering necessary reforms to attract skilled workers from other countries, and causing the country, once a global crossroads, to turn inward. According to Philippe Corcuff, an expert on the far right, France is experiencing a new phase, with the collapse of the left and the rise of the extreme right shaping the political debate. Candidates from the centre-right Republican party are calling for stricter border control and limiting immigrants' access to social benefits. Some, like Michel Barnier, have even proposed a temporary halt on immigration by changing the constitution. On the left, most candidates have remained silent, but one former economy minister has suggested blocking remittances sent by migrants to countries that do not cooperate in repatriating their citizens living illegally in France. The proposal came after President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to reduce the number of visas granted to citizens of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Éric Zemmour, a writer and TV personality who recently declared his candidacy for the presidency, has expressed concerns about France's Christian heritage being threatened by immigration from Muslim countries. Zemmour stated that France must not allow itself to be taken over or replaced. His candidacy has brought the once taboo topic of the "great replacement" conspiracy theory into the election discussion, with Zemmour accusing Macron of wanting to dissolve France in Europe and Africa. Other candidates, while hesitant to fully embrace the concept, acknowledged the issue of replacement as a real problem facing the country. A recent survey found that 61% of French people believe that Muslim immigrants will replace Europe's white and Christian population. This contrasts with Germany's recent election, where immigration was not a major issue despite their history of accepting refugees. According to Jean-Christophe Dumont from the OECD, immigration is a significant concern in France, despite the country having a lower percentage of immigrants in its population compared to other OECD nations. Between 2010 and 2020, the proportion of immigrants in Germany's population increased by 16%, while in France, the number of immigrants from northern Africa declined after a period of economic growth ended in the mid-1970s. This decline coincided with the rise of the far-right National Front, now known as the National Rally, which made immigration a contentious topic in French politics. Since then, new immigration to France has been mostly comprised of foreign students and family members of existing residents, rather than migrant workers. An economist named Auriol noted that immigrants are now primarily brought to France to join their spouses, rather than for employment purposes. The consequence is that France has a less diverse immigration population compared to other wealthy countries. Government data from 2019 shows that over 40% of new arrivals were from Africa, particularly Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The lack of diversity, along with the clustering of immigrants in urban areas like Paris, contributes to concerns about immigration, according to historian Patrick Weil. While anti-immigrant sentiments were a factor in Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, immigration in France, tied to its colonial past in countries like Algeria, is an even more contentious issue, Weil explained. He noted that in France, immigration is closely associated with religion, a distinction from the United States where the two are separate. Auriol, the economist, stated that fears of immigration and threats to France's Christian heritage from the right make it challenging to discuss reforming immigration policies to attract qualified foreign immigrants. She believes that current policies hinder economic growth and recovery from the pandemic. While some minor changes have been made recently, they are not sufficient to attract the motivated, skilled immigrants that France needs for innovation. Auriol also pointed out that France struggles to attract European Union citizens due to anti-immigrant sentiment and has low retention of foreign students post-graduation. "In the 20th century, Paris attracted talented individuals from around the world," she remarked. "These immigrants made significant contributions to France's economic, scientific, and cultural achievements. We used to be a welcoming country. How did we change so much?" © 2021 The New York Times Company.