EU news: Europe facing consequences of Angela Merkel’s decisions, says Valls
The left-wing lawmaker added Europe had to “rethink” its immigration quotas and decide “what kind” of immigration it wants to attract in order to prosper. Mr Valls told France Inter radio: “Mrs Merkel was wrong to take in more than one million refugees. “I criticised her decision in 2015 and I am now reiterating this criticism. Because Europeans continue to suffer the consequences of her actions.” Mrs Merkel said at the height of the migrant crisis in late 2015 Germany could manage to successfully integrate the influx of refugees, and vowed not to change her policy or close Germany’s borders.
Her open-door policy, however, was pinpointed as one of the reasons for the recent rise of anti-immigrant sentiment across Europe. This includes Italy which saw more a huge rise in right wing votes at the general election earlier this year. It is also said to have boosted support for the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which in September became the first far-right party to enter Germany’s parliament for more than half a century. There are four big challenges facing Europe today, Mr Valls continued: “Our relationship with Africa, the question of Europe’s open borders, demography and immigration.”
GETTY Angela Merkel's open door immigration has been a grave mistake warns Manuel Valls
Europe must take back control of immigration by “rethinking” its annual immigration quotas, and by limiting the number of foreigners admitted to a European member state based on the country’s economic needs and capacity to integrate, he continued. “We need to think about what kind of immigration we need …. Because if we don’t, we will be stuck with a ‘go with the flow’ migration policy and we will always be overwhelmed,” Mr Valls added. Mr Valls also commented on the most recent terrorist attack in Belgium, highlighting the broader issue of prison radicalisation. A radicalised inmate killed two policewoman and a bystander in the Belgian city of Liege on Tuesday before being gunned down by police.
GETTY Manuel Valls added that annual migration quotas should be reworked