French President Francois Hollande was yesterday to visit Calais, after vowing to close the notorious “Jungle” camp on the outskirts of the city, despite growing controversy over the fate of thousands of desperate refugees there.
Hollande’s visit came just days after one by his conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy — who is hoping to make a comeback as president, with a harsh line on migration a key part of his campaign.
While in the port city, Hollade was scheduled to meet with police, local politicians, business leaders and representatives from civil society groups, but he was not expected to visit the camp itself.
Migration has been a low-key issue under Hollande’s four-year-old presidency.
However, he has been forced to take a visible stance on the issue, under pressure from brash right-winger Sarkozy and far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
Each are promoting platforms of security, patriotism and national interest in early campaigning for next year’s elections.
Under pressure from the right, Hollande on Saturday stepped up his own pledge to combat illegal migration, promising to “completely dismantle” the Jungle camp.
His government has said this would happen “before winter” and a flurry of preparations under way there suggest the operation might begin shortly.
However, plans to relocate the refugees have sparked controversy and protests, with local residents in areas where new shelters could be established vehemently opposed to the move.
The Jungle camp has also become a sore point in relations between France and Britain.
Last week, building began on a British-funded wall to clamp down on repeated attempts by refugees to stow away on trucks heading for Britain.
Rights groups have also strongly criticized the difficulties and dangers facing the as many as 10,000 refugees living in the camp, with a 14-year-old Afghan boy killed by a car just last week as he tried to get onto a truck.
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