Rise of the far right: Tunisian associations warn of risks to the rights of Tunisians and migrants

July 4, 2024
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Following the failure of governments to resolve the growing economic and social crises, right-wing and far-right parties have won the majority of votes in a significant number of European countries. These parties are known for their chauvinist nationalist ideologies, racist positions, opposition to democratic institutions and disregard for national and international laws protecting human rights.

There is no doubt that this landslide victory will have serious repercussions for the rights of migrants and asylum seekers. Right-wing and far-right parties, who have always used immigration as a Trojan horse, blame migrants for all the crises caused by anti-social liberal policies, such as rising inflation rates, rising unemployment and the disengagement of the state from all social responsibility.

This victory will also have repercussions for the countries of the South, particularly Tunisia. Pressure on the Tunisian government to play its assigned role as guardian of Europe's borders will increase. The Tunisian regime will be rewarded, not for its commitment to human rights and democracy, but for its ability to prevent irregular migrants from reaching Europe's borders.

This will lead to flagrant violations of human rights, such as those we have seen many times since 2023. Particularly last summer, when migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were deported into the desert without water, food or shelter, causing dozens to die of hunger, thirst and heat, at the same time as European right-wing and far-right leaders were signing a memorandum of understanding with President Kaïs Saïed.

It's important to stress that racism and xenophobia in Europe target not only migrants and new arrivals, but also bi-nationals and racialized citizens. Second- and third-generation children of migrants suffer discrimination and are often targeted by the extreme right, facing systematic prejudice and exclusion because of their origins or skin color.

Faced with the dangers these results represent for migrants, and the repercussions of extreme right-wing policies on Tunisian migrants and asylum seekers, as well as on the rights of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in our country and on human rights in general, which are experiencing an unprecedented decline day by day, the associations and organizations defending human rights in Tunisia :

Call for compliance with all laws and legislation protecting migrants and consider that any failure to comply with these laws constitutes a violation of the principles of democracy that brought these parties to power;
Firmly reject the policies of outsourcing borders and the role of guardian of Europe's borders assigned to our country.
Call for Maghreb, African and Mediterranean cooperation that respects human rights and international laws on freedom of movement and asylum;
Recall that the partnership agreement between Tunisia and the European Union, which was signed in 1995 and came into force in 1998, calls for respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law as essential conditions for cooperation between the northern and southern Mediterranean;
Call for North African, Mediterranean and African coordination between all human rights organizations and associations to oppose the racist policies of the extreme right, which disregard all rights, laws and legislation.

First signatories