The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany 1

The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

Xylina Session

POLS 2200-401

Dr. Perparim Gutaj

The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

The Syrian Refugee crisis has brough an influx of Muslim asylum-seekers to the pillar

countries of the European Union. Whether they were well received or integrated properly is up to

the rest of the world to judge. Britain, France, and Germany carry the brunt of the load as the

bigger brother countries closest to the affected countries. Each of them reflects similarities and

differences in approaching the problem, reflective of their respective cultures and histories. "The

premises of the national identity approach are highly valuable to analyze the origins and drivers

of immigration policy-making regardless of a country's political system" (Natter, 2018, p. 15).

England

As an island, England has always been a more isolated sovereignty. Its natural borders

kept foreign interference less likely than continental Europe. Also, political customs include

statutes and Common Law which are hundreds of years old passed down from Parliament.

Parliament has the power to mold and shape the British constitution, continually. This flexibility

in a constitution makes for a weaker defense for human rights. Without the guarantee of these

rights, a refugee crisis would expose how prepared Britan would be for refugees (Roskin, 2016,

pp. 29 -36).

"Britain now has some 1.6 million Muslims, mostly Pakistanis. (France has far more

Muslims.) . . . Skinheads, supporting the Front or its successor, the British National Party (BNP),

enjoy 'Paki bashing.' With slogans such as 'Rights for Whites,' the anti-immigrant vote grew but

never won a seat in Parliament" (Roskin, 2016, p. 54). These tensions of anti-immigration have

escalated to a major populist movement, which has manifested its power in the Brexit decision.

"Compared to other countries in the EU, the UK also saw one of the lowest numbers of

asylum applications, with just over 39,000 asylum applications in 2015, compared with

Germany’s 441,800 asylum applications in 2015, France’s 70,570. . . Put another way, the UK

received just sixty applications per 100,000 people (the EU average was 260 per 100,000
The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

people). And yet, Britain’s opposition to accepting refugees was some of the most vocal in

Europe" (Garrett, 2019). Although by a slim margin, majority of Britons voted to leave the EU in

the 2016 Referendum, the biggest reason behind this decision being anti-immigration sentiment

As one of the world superpowers and the sixth largest economy, the United Kingdom

would be expected to be one of the proponents of the effort to aid the refugee crisis. Ironically, it

created an opportunity to establish political sovereignty and activated right wing ideas. "Political

scientists used to present Britain as a model of stability, moderation, calm, justice, and niceness.

In contrast, France was often presented as a model of instability and immoderate political

attitudes. The contrast was overdrawn; neither the British nor the French are as good or as bad as

sometimes portrayed" (Roskin, 2016, p. 54).

France

France has more Muslim immigrants than Germany and Britain. 9% of the French

population are Muslim immigrants, somewhere between five and six million people. The

'integrated' individuals face the same oppression that black communities face in America:

unemployment, broken families, drugs, petty crime, ill relationship with the police, shabby

housing, etc. (Roskin, 2016, p. 122). Other forms of oppression, such as banning certain female

Muslim attire such as the hijab from school and the niqab or burqa manifest the racist,

antagonistic attitude towards Muslim immigrants.

Major parties and politicians in France agree that there is a problem of 'too many

Muslims,' and move toward policies that focus on legal immigration more than refugee aid.

However, monetary necessities required to properly integrate, educate and house are still lacking;

Muslim and immigrant communities would be taxed heavily if these programs were to be

instated (Roskin, 2016, p. 122). Like Britain, right wing parties such as the National Front have
The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

grown in clout as a result of the crisis. French people are naturally distant and "mistrustful of

people outside their family" (Roskin, 2016, p. 99).

France's population is also known for their reputation of complaints against the

government. Problems associated with the refugee crisis are considered at the fault of the

government and its lack of ability to respond to it. French activists for refugees ". . . distrust

[conventional] politics and its capacity to have a significant impact. Indeed, for most solidarity

activists, Europe is facing a crisis because of the critical lack of welcoming policies, rather than

the influx of migrants and asylum seekers themselves" (Gattinara & Zamponi, 2019, p. 633).

Germany

Perhaps Germany has a quality unique to its counterparts mentioned: a need for

immigrants. "As more Germans retire, Germany will need some quarter of a million new

workers a year" (Roskin, 2016, p. 177). Germany faces a low birth rate; no amount of

governmental incentive could encourage natives to produce the number of replacements needed

in the workforce. Germany is not a stranger to the idea of foreign workers, Gasterbeiter (guest

workers) were temporary labor allowed into the country. The situation got out of hand when

countries of high unemployment rates such as Turkey flexed in large amounts of new immigrants

who ended up becoming permanent. Rising xenophobia in Germany create a stereotypical right-

wing backlash for Muslims seeking asylum, but government-funded programs offer easier

integration.

Vocational schools and integration courses are offered, as well as German --all

necessities for immigrants. Common goals for all these classes include equality of opportunity,

participation in social/cultural/economic life, and reciprocal process involving the receptiveness

of the majority. From a capitalist point of view, Germany needs more workers and can afford to

take care of them. But they also should just help from a moral standpoint, especially given their
The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

history. " . . . the rise of an international human rights regime constrains nation states,

safeguarding migrants' rights against national administrations' attempts to curtail them" (Natter,

2018, p. 4).
The Refugee Crisis: England, France & Germany

References

Roskin, 2016, M. G. (2016). Countries and concepts: Politics, geography, culture (Thirteenth

ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Garrett, A. (2019). The Refugee Crisis, Brexit, and the Reframing of Immigration in Britain.

Europe now.

Gattinara, P. C., & Zamponi, L. (2020). Politicizing support and opposition to migration in

France: The EU asylum policy crisis and direct social activism. Journal of European

Integration.