Hungary, Poland Defend Tough Migration Policies Amid France Unrest

As footage of burning vehicles and damaged historic buildings in France and Italy spreads across Europe, Hungary and Poland are using the unrest to sharpen a broader political argument about migration rather than focusing solely on the disorder itself.

Both countries have established some of Europe’s toughest positions on accepting migrants. Hungary, under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, was fined and sanctioned by European Union courts for refusing to participate in the bloc’s migration arrangements, while Poland also faced EU sanctions in 2025 over its policies.

The latest available Eurostat data indicate that France had nearly 10 million foreign-born residents in 2025, compared with roughly 7 million in Italy. Poland recorded about 1 million, while Hungary had fewer than 700,000. Most foreign-born residents in Hungary came from elsewhere in the European Union, and approximately half of Poland’s foreign-born population originated in Ukraine.

Following the violence, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar wrote on X that “Europe can count on Hungary.” He argued that the destruction should make clear why Budapest supports the strictest possible migration controls, adding that his government would not dilute its border security or immigration rules “under any pressure.”

It is a sentiment echoed by Magyar’s Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk posted: “Poland will not repeat the mistakes of other European countries, nor will it pay for them,” he wrote on Sunday night. “We are firmly defending the border against illegal migration, we have our own asylum policy (we do not accept applications), we deport those who break Polish law. On security issues, we will be relentless.” 

Daniel Schatz, a Sweden-based political scientist, told News Media that images of torched buildings and ransacked stores are increasingly being turned into political messaging across Europe. For leaders advocating stricter immigration rules, he said, the message to domestic voters is straightforward: “This is what we intend to prevent.” In his view, scenes of disorder can resonate more powerfully than lengthy policy speeches.

Eurostat’s most recent crime figures show that France recorded 304,900 police-reported offenses in 2024, among the highest totals in the European Union. Italy registered 142,600, while Poland reported 57,300 and Hungary 28,600—figures that placed the two Central European countries among the bloc’s lowest. Eurostat’s 2023 measure of how many people experienced crime or vandalism in their neighborhoods showed a similar pattern: around 20% in France, 14% to 17% in Italy, 7% to 8% in Poland and 6% to 7% in Hungary.

Boštjan Udovič, chair of international relations at the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Social Sciences in Slovenia, said Central and Eastern European countries commonly interpret the unrest in France through the lens of immigration, particularly concerns about the integration and adaptation of newcomers.

Schatz said Magyar and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are also sending a message to Brussels: supporting Europe does not necessarily mean endorsing liberal migration policies. Magyar has portrayed the turmoil in France as evidence supporting his approach, while Tusk’s warnings about avoiding the mistakes of other nations point in a similar direction.

After last week’s European Council meeting, Magyar said the summit demonstrated that most European governments had “woken up” and wanted to move away from what he called the permissive policies of the past. He added that leaders hoped they had not waited too long.

“The Europe we all love is in serious trouble today,” Magyar said, expressing solidarity with the French people. He described protecting the continent for future generations as a shared responsibility and said Europe should remain a safe and exceptional place for children and grandchildren.

Schatz said Magyar and Tusk do not need to draw on the legacy of Polish King Jan Sobieski, whose allied forces defeated the Ottoman army during the 1683 siege of Vienna—a moment often framed as the defense of Christian Europe—to present themselves as the continent’s guardians. Today, he said, burning buildings offer a more immediate visual backdrop for that political narrative.

Udovič said the positions taken by Magyar and Tusk were unsurprising. Central and Eastern European nations often connect their EU membership to strongly defined national identities, he explained, shaped by histories of independence movements. Against that background, he said, it would be unrealistic to expect them to quickly embrace a fully multiethnic model of society.

“This is ‘all politics is local’ playing out across borders,” Schatz said. “The streets are French or Italian; the voters being addressed are Hungarian or Polish.” Udovič added that Tusk was moving into a kind of pre-election period in which migration is likely to become an increasingly important issue.

Poland’s next parliamentary election is slated for Nov. 2027, and former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, a possible Tusk opponent, is echoing his successor’s remarks. “France is burning, and we must be wise before the harm is done,” Morawiecki posted to X Monday morning. He added that his new center-right political coalition, Rozwoj Plus, “has a package of comprehensive solutions that will allow Poland to be not only prosperous, but also the safest country in the world!” 

Á. Félix Debrenti, a former official in Viktor Orbán’s government and a current Hungarian Atlantic Council board member, said firm immigration restrictions continue to enjoy broad public support in Hungary.

He said, “Magyar understands that abandoning Orbán’s tough approach to immigration and border protection could cost him significant political support, particularly at a time when his party is already facing growing pressures.”

He said, “Taking a strong position on immigration allows Magyar to shift public attention away from the government’s domestic challenges and onto an issue where there is a broad national consensus,” Debrenti continues. “All this comes just days before Oct. 23… when Hungarians commemorate the 1956 Revolution and the fight for freedom against Soviet oppression.”

Touching on the protests, Magyar posted: “Let there be no doubt: peaceful and lawful protest is one thing; vandalism and violence are quite another. The former is a fundamental right; the latter is a serious crime.”