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Fillon has blasted the Schengen agreement
Mr Fillon tweeted: “As long as Europe’s borders are not protected by our partners, France will re-establish real controls at its borders.”
Mr Fillon said that more than 1.3million refugees entered Europe in 2015 and France could not allow more migrants to flood in.
The leading candidate for the French presidency has also suggested that France should introduce a quota system for immigration.
BORDER-FREE Schengen: Countries you can visit WITHOUT a passport
Mon, January 23, 2017
If you are an EU national, you do not need to show your national ID card or passport when you are travelling from one border-free Schengen EU country to another. The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished passport and any other type of border control at their mutual borders.
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Fillon is the frontrunner in the French presidential election
As long as Europe’s borders are not protected by our partners, France will re-establish real controls at its borders
Francois Fillon
Mr Fillon’s main rival in the upcoming French election is thought to be Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National party.
Mr Fillion said: “Schengen must be reformed.
“Free movement in Europe must have a non-negotiable counterbalance: systematic controls at the external borders.”
The huge movement of migrants across the Mediterranean has made a mockery of the EU Schengen agreement, which leaves external borders unprotected.
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More and more countries are unhappy with the Schengen agreement
In his manifesto, Mr Fillon said: “France is now facing a new migration challenge. Our demography is one of the most dynamic in Europe so that, unlike most of our European neighbours, we do not immigration to support our growth.”
The Schengen zone, which allows the free movement of people without passport checks between the 26 EU member states, is under increasing pressure after it has been deemed a failure because of an increase in terror attacks across the continent.
Germany has taken moves to secure its borders amid terror fears.
German chancellor Angela Merkel has urged EU nations to work together to improve security across the bloc by increasing the exchange of data and creating a register of people entering and leaving the Schengen area.
Leader of the Front National Mrs Le Pen, said: “I reiterate my pledge to give back France full control of its sovereignty, its national borders and to put an end to the consequences of the Schengen agreement.”
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