Michel Barnier, the new French head of government, is still in the process of selecting his ministers. But he has already outlined what he wants to change in France, with irregular migration at the top of his list of priorities.

"You get the impression that the borders are as porous as a sieve, and that migration flows are not under control. We are going to change that," Barnier said last week during his first TV interview since taking office.

The implementation of a stricter migration and asylum policy might stay in the hands of the Interior Ministry. According to French media reports, Barnier is also planning a dedicated Immigration Ministry.

Such a ministry would also signal that Barnier, from the conservative Republican party, is taking his cue from the presidency of fellow party member Nicolas Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 — at least when it comes to migration.

In 2005, when Sarkozy was the interior minister, he made international headlines during a visit to Paris' minority housing estates with his comment that "we will clean the estate with Kärcher [high pressure hose]." Upon being elected president in 2007, he created an Immigration Ministry as part of his stricter migration policy.

Sarkozy's hard-line immigration policy temporarily succeeded in stopping the rise of the extreme right-wing National Front.

Today, the former National Front, now renamed the National Rally (RN) and headed by Marine Le Pen, has made a comeback. It was the strongest French party in the recent European elections, winning 31.4% of the vote. The party also won a number of additional seats in the French parliamentary elections........

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