The then German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the floodgates to refugees from underdeveloped and Muslim-majority countries, allowing them to enter Germany in the name of humanitarian policy. At that time, several well-meaning critics in Europe expressed concern about such a policy and warned that it could become counterproductive before long. It appears that the predictions of these critics have now proved to be true.
While Germany and other Western European countries are technologically advanced and highly developed in multiple fields, almost all the refugees who entered Germany have no particular skills and have different cultural practices and value systems that are in sharp contrast with the prevailing standards in Europe.
When the refugees entered Germany, they moved from one country to another within “borderless Europe”, and what would have been a refugee problem in Germany became a refugee problem for Europe. Once the refugees entered European countries from underdeveloped countries, they found it difficult to assimilate and integrate adequately with the native populations because of their backgrounds, traditional practices, and educational levels. Even today, after several years, many such refugees largely remain in isolated groups and have continued to increase their numbers by having large families.
In the process, the demographic balance of European democracies has changed decisively, with no prospect of returning to the earlier situation that existed before the influx of refugees.
The ongoing violent agitations in France, Belgium, and Italy, as well as frequent incidents of street protests in the UK, are attributed to the large influx of refugees, with refugees increasingly raising various demands. It is true that governments in European democracies and native populations view the recent violent incidents as the consequences of the folly of allowing refugees free entry in earlier years.
The UK government made a feeble attempt to “export” such refugees to an African country by offering compensation for accepting them. This policy has virtually failed because it is unrealistic.
The ongoing violent incidents in France, Belgium, and Italy are now creating the impression that Europe’s entire sociopolitical culture has undergone a profound change that will have far-reaching implications for the continent’s future.
Some critics predict that Europe is bound to face conflict-ridden conditions in the coming years, with no solution in sight.
The ground reality is that the governments of European democracies are now wavering and feeling frustrated by their inability to tackle the refugee issue, which appears to have gone beyond their control.
