French gendarmes monitor migrants attempting to cross the Channel off the coast of Neufchâtel-Hardelot, northern France, on June 30, 2025. SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP
A major strategic shift has taken place in the cold, turbulent waters of the Dover Strait in response to migratory pressure. Since the beginning of the year, more than 31,000 people have reached England aboard inflatable boats. This has prompted French authorities to carry out "interceptions," similar to tactics used in Mayotte.
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France had previously maintained that preserving human life in the English Channel was paramount, but this "change of pace" was formalized on July 10. At the end of his three-day state visit to the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Northwood military base to seal their reconciliation. The agreement included a notable concession from Paris to London. France announced a shift in its maritime policy to intercept boats leaving the French coast for the UK.
