Lesearchers from all disciplines agree: there is no migratory submersion, regularizations and rescues at sea have never caused“call for air” and the great replacement of the French population is a myth. Sociologists, political scientists, economists, jurists, demographers, geographers, historians and philosophers are unanimous on these questions. Despite their efforts to make themselves heard, scientists are saddened to see research results ignored or misused in public debates and political discourse.
According to the UN, migration is increasing worldwide. 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 arrivals in developed countries; the migratory flows towards the countries of the Global South are quantitatively equivalent.
Ranked 77e in 2020 in terms of the share of immigrants in its population, France is far behind the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and the United States. However, France has been a land of immigration and today it has 10% immigrants, some of whom are of French nationality. We are also a country of emigration with 2.5 million French people living abroad.
Migration specialists share one observation: perceptions of migratory phenomena are often erroneous. Several studies have shown that the general public overestimates the number of foreign people compared to the reality of the figures. On the other hand, the index of tolerance with regard to minorities, established each year by the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, tells us that in France prejudices are receding and that tolerance for others is gaining ground. . The excessive politicization of migration and integration issues also biases our representations. Creating a serene and informed space for democratic debate could make it possible to escape the political instrumentalization of migration issues.
Citizens deserve better
A new law on asylum and immigration is under discussion in Parliament in a context of democratic decline. The issues at stake (regularization, access to work, expulsion, double punishment, etc.) are difficult to clarify in a context of competition between professional media, social networks and amateur sites in the production and dissemination of information and infox. Citizens deserve better: they have the right to form their own opinion and express an informed judgement, with the help of scientists. A citizens’ convention on migration, inspired by the previous one for the climate, would make it possible to organize a structured and well-informed debate on a highly inflammable issue.
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