in Slovakia, “we are trying to exploit the migration issue to try to influence the outcome of the elections”, analyzes François Gemmene, researcher specializing in migration

“From all the contacts I have with Slovak colleagues, it is obvious that the elections were largely manipulated, including attempts at disinformation, which very clearly came from Russia. (…) We are trying to exploit the migration issue to try to influence the outcome of the elections”estimates François Gemmene, researcher specializing in migration and member of the IPCC, in 19/20 info, Wednesday October 4.

“This migration issue is increasingly exploited, and I think, unfortunately, that Russia understood very well to what extent it was a destabilizing element for European democracies.“, adds François Gemmene, who mentions “an information war”.

France “still very naive“

What about France? For the researcher, it is “still very naive“.”We do not realize to what extent this subject of asylum and migration is exploited by far-right parties and by pro-Russian parties (…) in the hope of influencing public opinions.“, he explains, before deploring that “facts and figures seem to no longer matter” in the debate.

The 27 agreed on migration reform in Brussels (Belgium). The agreement provides that member states facing significant arrivals on the territory will be able to speed up procedures and seek solidarity from other Europeans. “The least bad deal possible“, judge François Gemmene. “It’s a sort of agreement that tries to balance things out, between countries that would like a more humanist policy, and others that want a much firmer policy.“, he said.