France’s National Rally Vows to Stop Migrants Crossing Channel to Britain

PARIS: France’s National Rally (RN) would seek to prevent migrants from reaching Britain by small boats across the English Channel if the party comes to power, RN leader Jordan Bardella said on Friday, as the issue of irregular migration remains a major political concern on both sides of the Channel.

Bardella made the remarks as his party and Britain’s Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, agreed on a joint approach aimed at curbing small-boat crossings from France to Britain. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding outlining cooperation on migration and border security.

Under the proposed arrangement, asylum seekers arriving in Britain by small boats could be returned to France, with France then expected to repatriate those who do not have a legal right to remain. The agreement also envisages closer cooperation on border controls and mechanisms for sharing the costs associated with security measures.

The announcement comes despite a decline in the number of migrants making the Channel crossing. British authorities have continued to face political pressure to tackle irregular migration, while the number of people arriving on each boat has reportedly increased.

The proposed policy is likely to face significant legal and diplomatic challenges. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously rejected unilateral British proposals to return migrants to France, arguing that such arrangements could infringe on French sovereignty.

The agreement between Reform UK and the RN comes as both parties seek to strengthen their political positions ahead of future elections. The RN is preparing for France’s 2027 presidential election, while Reform UK has made reducing immigration and tightening Britain’s borders central elements of its political platform.

Bardella’s position further underlines the RN’s hard-line approach to immigration and reflects growing cooperation between right-wing and populist political movements in Europe on migration and border policy.