Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-19**Lead**
As violent unrest continues to grip major French cities, the leaders of Hungary and Poland have forcefully defended their own hardline migration policies, arguing that uncontrolled immigration and weak border security are the root causes of the instability now rocking Western Europe. Speaking at a joint news conference in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki insisted that their countries’ refusal to accept mandatory EU migrant quotas has prevented similar chaos from erupting in Central Europe.
**Context**
The comments come at a time when France is struggling to contain some of the worst civil disturbances in decades. Protesters in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille have clashed with police over a range of grievances, including rising living costs, perceived government incompetence, and what many demonstrators call the failure of integration policies for migrants and refugees. The French government under President Emmanuel Macron has already deployed thousands of security forces and imposed curfews in several neighborhoods, but the unrest shows no sign of abating.
Hungary and Poland have been locked in a long-running dispute with the European Union over migration. Both countries have built fences along their borders, passed laws restricting asylum claims, and refused to participate in the EU’s relocation system for refugees from Africa and the Middle East. The European Commission has repeatedly taken legal action against them, accusing both nations of violating EU law. Yet Orbán and Morawiecki argue that their approach has kept their societies stable and safe.
“What we are seeing in France is the direct consequence of decades of lax migration policy,” Orbán said. “We have said this all along: when you open your borders without control, you import conflict, extremism, and social breakdown. Hungary will never make that mistake.” Morawiecki echoed the sentiment, stating that Poland’s firm stance on border security is a matter of national sovereignty and public safety, not just politics.
The unrest in France has also reignited debates within the EU about the future of the bloc’s asylum system. Several other member states, including Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have expressed sympathy with the Hungarian-Polish position and have called for stricter external border controls and faster deportations of rejected asylum seekers.
**Analysis**
The timing of the Hungarian and Polish defense of hardline policies is significant. France, as one of the EU’s founding members and its second-largest economy, has traditionally championed a more open and humanitarian migration approach. The current crisis has weakened Macron’s domestic standing and may embolden nationalist and populist parties across Europe ahead of the 2027 presidential elections in France.
Analysts point out that the unrest in France is not solely about immigration; it stems from a complex mix of deep-seated economic disparities, urban neglect, and police-community tensions. However, Orbán and Morawiecki are exploiting the situation to promote their own model of governance, one that emphasizes national sovereignty, cultural homogeneity, and law-and-order politics. Their messages resonate not only with their home audiences but also with like-minded parties in Germany, Italy, and Sweden.
The European Commission faces a dilemma. It can continue to push for sanctions against Hungary and Poland, but doing so risks alienating a growing bloc of member states that share their concerns. Alternatively, it could offer concessions on migration policy in exchange for support on other issues like climate and defense. Any shift would mark a major departure from the EU’s founding principles of solidarity and burden-sharing.
Meanwhile, French authorities are working to restore order while avoiding accusations of excessive force. Macron has called for calm and promised new investments in disadvantaged suburbs, but the scale of the violence suggests that deeper social wounds remain unhealed. For Orbán and Morawiecki, the French predicament offers a cautionary tale—and a political opportunity to cement their reputations as defenders of a fortress Europe.
**Sources**
This article is based on reporting from Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and official statements from the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office and the Polish government. Context on EU migration policy draws from analyses published by the European Council on Foreign Relations and the BBC.