Spanish President Pedro Sánchez was booed during a far-right French event led by Marine Le Pen. Attendees showed their rejection of the Spanish government's immigration policies, reflecting the growing tension in Europe on this issue. The incident highlights the political polarization on the continent.
The immigration control technology dividing Europe 🤖
Artificial intelligence systems for border surveillance, such as the Eurosur program, are sparking debate. While Spain is pushing for biometric entry registration, France is testing reconnaissance drones in Calais. Both solutions clash with data protection laws and human rights. The lack of a common technical standard leads to disorganization and cross-criticism between neighboring countries.
Sánchez learns that in France, boos are VAT-free 🥖
The president discovered that crossing the border to give a rally has risks: you get booed in French, which sounds more refined than in Spanish. At least no one threw industrial pastries at him, although Le Pen may have considered that her voters give him his daily bread. Sánchez returns home with a new record: being hissed at in two languages in less than an hour.