“There is an urgent need to restore reason and democratic debate in addressing immigration issues.”

IResearchers of all disciplines agree: there is no migratory inundation, and settlements and salvage operations at sea have never caused it“A call for air” And the great substitution of the French people is a myth. Sociologists, political scientists, economists, jurists, demographers, geographers, historians, and philosophers agree on these questions. Despite their efforts to make themselves heard, the scientists are saddened to see the findings of the research being ignored or misused in public debates and political discourse.

According to the United Nations, migration is increasing around the world. But with 281 million international migrants in 2020, they represent less than 4% of the world’s population. Contrary to popular belief, there are no more expats in developed countries; Migration flows towards countries of the Global South are quantitatively equivalent.

Rank 77^H In 2020 in terms of the proportion of immigrants in its population, France lags far behind the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and the United States. However, France was a land of immigration and today has 10% of immigrants, some of whom are of French nationality. We are also a country of emigration, with 2.5 million French people living abroad.

Immigration specialists share one observation: perceptions of immigration are often wrong. Numerous studies have shown that the general public overestimates the number of foreigners compared to the reality of the numbers. On the other hand, the Index of Tolerance towards Minorities, drawn up every year by the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, tells us that in France prejudices are declining and tolerance of others is increasing. The excessive politicization of immigration and integration issues also biases our representations. Creating a calm and informed space for democratic debate can make it possible to escape political exploitation of immigration issues.

Citizens deserve better

A new asylum and immigration law is under discussion in Parliament in the context of democratic decline. It is difficult to clarify the issues at hand (regulation, access to work, dismissal, double punishment, etc.) in the context of competition between professional media, social networks and amateur sites in the production and dissemination of information and information. Citizens deserve better: they have the right to form their own opinion and express informed judgment, with the help of scholars. A Citizens’ Agreement on Migration, inspired by the earlier climate agreement, would make possible a structured and informed debate on a highly combustible issue.

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