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A Continent under Pressure

By Mstyslav Chernov (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The economic crisis left traces in a majority of european countries. Lower and middle classes are afraid for their jobs and their future. The fight against youth unemployment failed in many countries: the rate in Spain was at 49.2%, in Italy at 44.2%, in Portugal at 31.6% and in France at 23.6%. Public finances of many States are still running excessive deficits. It is within this context of uncertainty that public authorities currently must deal with an important migrant crisis. Some politicians keep repeating that this crisis is the most important since World War II. It has to be said that it has not been properly anticipated. However, we should keep a sense of proportion when we compare the most tragic periods of human history. It fails to mention that despite the fact that this World conflict ravaged Europe and turned it into ruins, tens of millions of european refugees were rapidly integrated by their european neighbours. We also bear in mind that today's migratory pressure on Europe can pose a real threat to democratic values by fueling extremist movements. And we must emphasize that a majority of these migrants flee war and persecution. This is particularly clear in Syria. For them Asylum is a right. The issue of economic migration, obviously, is a whole other matter. But we won't "solve the problem by pointing fingers at our neighbours" (F-W.Steinmeier). The current situation is undoubtedly very challenging. But it can be resolved if the burden of that effort is shared in a fair and equitable way by the wealthiest countries in the world, in our continent and beyond.

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