Author: Nektaria Stamouli | Τhe Wall Street Journal | 3 January 2019
Fewer migrants crossed, and drowned in, the Mediterranean in 2018 than the previous year, new United Nations data show, reflecting European countries’ continuing attempts to reduce the flow of refugees from Africa and the Middle East that have caused political ructions in much of Europe.
Tensions over the rise in refugees and other migrants entering the European Union have contributed to the rise of far-right nativist parties across the bloc with immigration and asylum remaining one of the most polarizing issues in European politics.
Some 114,941 people landed in Europe by sea last year, down from 172,301 in 2017, according to the U.N. refugee agency. An estimated 2,262 people died or went missing while attempting the perilous journey to Europe, down from 3,139 the year before. Despite the drop, the Mediterranean route remains the deadliest migration route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration. Read more>>>