Europeans don't want any more migrants either

55 percent of Europeans want immigration from Muslim countries to come to a halt, according to a study by the British Think Tank Chatham House. The conclusions of the study seem consistent with the recent attempts to tighten asylum law in Germany, Britain and other European states. Is Europe's criticism of Trump hypocritical?

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Právo (CZ) /

Europe's hardcore hypocrites

The reactions in Europe to Trump's travel ban are dishonest and clearly out of synch with the general mood among Europeans, Právo observes commenting on the results of the British study:

“As we can see, the majority of Europeans expect similar measures to those the new White House boss is trying to box through from their own government. The criticism from the Old Continent is like a flimsy curtain that is supposed to conceal the manipulation of the real mood in the EU. The contrast between the official rhetoric of the EU leaders and the media on the one hand and the stance of those outside the establishment on the other couldn't be more glaring. The less support they have among the people, the more the EU politicians seek refuge in the role of hardcore hypocrites. ”

Mladá fronta dnes (CZ) /

Western Europe copying the "xenophobic" Eastern Europeans

First the Western Europeans accused Eastern Europeans of being xenophobic, now it wants to close its own borders to everyone, Mladá fronta dnes comments about the results of the study:

“Everything is following the same old pattern: the racist East does something or proposes something, the West starts hurling accusations at it and then claims the East's inventions as its own. Which barbarian wants to send people who try to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean back to Libya? The racist Zeman? The xenophobe Orbán? Not at all. It was the chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in Germany Thomas Oppermann who came up with the idea. … The majority of Europeans want to slam the door shut. The 'civilised' Belgians, Austrians and French want this just as much as the 'xenophobic' Hungarians. That is the reality of the situation.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung (DE) /

Germany only interested in deportation now

The federal and state governments in Germany have taken steps to accelerate deportation procedures for rejected asylum seekers. Among other measures deportation centres will be set up for asylum seekers whose applications are deemed to have little chance of success. The Süddeutsche Zeitung fears the law may be infringed:

“Certainly, it's clear that not all refugees can remain. It's also clear that expulsions and deportations must be better organised. But a refugee policy that focusses solely on deportation is fatal and will have bitter consequences, also here in Germany. A simple golden rule must be applied when dealing with refugees: 'Are we treating them as we would like to be treated if we ourselves were refugees?' That goes for reception and deportation procedures. This question isn't just a moral precept. It is a maxim that generates justice. It alone can prevent all of us from becoming defenceless and helpless.”

The Times (GB) /

Britain needs to be more generous

The British government has announced that it will cancel the Dubs scheme for unaccompanied child refugees. A shameful plan that, like its immigration policy as a whole, must be immediately revised, The Times demands:

“This decision is both a consequence and a further cause of the toxic national conversation about immigration. It is time to change the terms of trade, and the Dubs amendment should become the casus belli. There is a brand of prominent Leave advocate, notably Boris Johnson, Daniel Hannan and Michael Gove, who persist with the fantasy that their referendum victory had nothing to do with immigration. They are only fooling themselves in this ... If they want to stop being silent fugitives from their own victory, here is a cause they can take up as their contribution to the more generous nation they believe Britain can be outside the EU.”