The government’s decision to suspend the reception of single male asylum seekers in the centres run by the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil) to give priority to families with children is backed by 56% of Belgians, according to a poll cited by Le Soir.
At the end of August, Belgium temporarily suspended the reception of male asylum seekers within the Fedasil reception network amid an increased number of arrivals.
While NGOs strongly criticised the measure, the Left and the Greens, and deemed illegal by Belgium’s Council of State, the Secretary of State continues to rely on local reception initiatives to house 2,000 single male asylum seekers.
Despite all the criticism, 56% of Belgians (52% in Brussels and Wallonia, 58% in Flanders) believe this to be a good decision, while 23% say they are against it and 21% had no opinion, a recently survey reads.
When asked whether the rules for asylum seekers should be tightened, over 71% answered positively.
The survey also shows that there is a greater tendency towards a tougher stance in Flanders, where, according to another recent poll, more than one in two Flemish people believe the N-VA (ECR) and Vlaams Belang (ID) should unite to govern the north of the country if the result of the forthcoming elections allows it.
When asked about regularising the status of asylum seekers working in short-staffed sectors in line with a proposal made by Walloon Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo at the end of August, 49% of those questioned said they were in favour (63% of Brussels residents, 56% of Walloons and 43% of Flemings). Di Rupo’s proposal was rejected by de Moor, who preferred to “put people who are here legally to work”.
Last week, de Moor also announced in a press release that she intended to make asylum seekers staying in reception centres work to cover their costs.
“It is only fair that asylum seekers who have an income of their own should contribute to the costs of their reception,” said the State Secretary. With this “reasonable” contribution, Brussels wants to “encourage asylum seekers to work” – which, according to de Moor, would encourage them to find their accommodation.
In Belgium, the number of migrants has risen sharply in recent times. In 2022, almost 37,000 asylum applications had been registered, an increase of 40% compared to 2021.
To alleviate the crisis, Belgium presented a new agreement on migration in March, which included the creation of 2,000 additional reception places. Last Friday, the office of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced the creation of a task force responsible for finding these reception places to cope with the expected influx this winter.
For a more long-term resolution of the reception crisis, de Moor is counting on the EU agreement on migration and asylum and has expressed her support for origin countries to ensure migrants have better living conditions back home and do not leave.
Belgium has been condemned several times for its management of the asylum crisis and its inability to ensure the reception of asylum seekers.
(Anne-Sophie Gayet | Euractiv.com)
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