faced with “the gangrene” of the far right, “it is time for Europe to reconnect with its peace project”, says ecologist Marie Toussaint

“This model of nationalism sets back human rights and attacks the climate,” denounces the head of the Green list in the European elections, Saturday January 6 on France Inter.

In front of “gangrene” from the extreme right, “it is time for Europe to reconnect with its peace project”, launches this Saturday on France Inter, Marie Toussaint, MEP and head of the Ecologist list in the European elections. Various polls show the National Rally (RN) at the top of voting intentions. “It’s a strong trend, a European trend. The extreme right, nationalism, selfishness are in the process of corrupting Europe. And I say gangrene because it is indeed a disease which runs through Europe, which puts the European project itself at risk.”reacts the chosen one.

Marie Toussaint notes that the extreme right “remains credible in public opinion”. Therefore, Environmentalists, among others, must “fight against this gangrene”, she repeats. Because “this model of nationalism sets back human rights, attacks the climate”, she argues. According to the head of the list of Ecologists, for “fight the National Rally” and more generally for “roll back the extreme right”it’s necessary “first of all, recall the humanist values ​​which are the foundation of Europe”. She wishes to recall that the European Union “was built on a project of peace and on the refusal of degrading treatment inflicted on other human beings”, before adding: “It is time for Europe to reconnect with its peace project, with its origins”.

The impasse in EU migration policy

And the MEP denounces “those who, with great duplicity, came to power in a number of EU states, saying that they would push back the extreme right”. Marie Toussaint is particularly targeting Emmanuel Macron who, in 2022, after his re-election against Marine Le Pen, declared “your vote obliges me”. However, she continues, with the immigration law, “Emmanuel Macron subscribes to the idea that foreigners are a danger, that we must close ourselves off. So this is the selfishness I was talking to you about.”

Marie Toussaint also deplores the European Union’s migration policy. On December 20, the European Parliament and member states reached an agreement on the pact on migration and asylum. It provides in particular for compulsory screening prior to the entry of a migrant into the EU, near the external borders, and the creation of new places in detention centers. This agreement must still be formally ratified by the European Council. “It’s the construction of a fortress Europe”deplores Marie Toussaint who sees it as proof that far-right ideas are gaining ground.

Fight against “the far-right vision”

According to the head of the list of Ecologists this “fight against immigration” consists only of “toughen the living conditions of people who are already on our territory”, but this “does not dry up any source of migration”. Because the EU “is not fighting against war, against misery, against poverty, against the effects of climate change outside our borders. The reasons why people leave their country”, she explains. However, migrants “prefer to stay at home with their family than to leave at the risk of their lives”.

Today, what are we doing? We are letting our humanity sink into the Mediterranean Sea, to quote Pope Francis.

Marie Toussaint, head of the list of Ecologists in the European elections

on France Inter

Marie Toussaint calls for “fight against this vision” extreme right because it “precarizes” migrants and nothing more, according to her. However, the environmentalist MEP concedes that there is “a demand to be protected”. She assures that she “wants to wear” also during this campaign this idea of ​​a “Europe that protects” and an “Europe that allows everyone to live with dignity”.

“There is a demand for security but it is also economical”. According to her, one of the answers is “social” because “we see the explosion of precariousness: nearly 9 million people in France in a precarious situation and at European level, it is one in five people”. Thus, Marie Toussaint “calls for the fight against poverty to be made the backbone of the European Union”.