France is further closing its borders.

Roberta Namour, 247 correspondent in Paris – Berlusconi called, but Sarkozy pretended it wasn't his problem. France closed its doors to the influx of Tunisians into Europe denounced by Italy. However much Paris tries to avoid the problem, of the 900 Tunisians living outside their country, two-thirds are in France. And these newly arrived immigrants to the Old Continent are searching for their families. However, only the naive or ill-informed could believe that Nicolas Sarkozy's country would welcome undocumented immigrants in transit from Italy. To do so would require ignoring the differences between the two nations and, above all, forgetting that the fight against immigration (not just illegal immigration) is central to the ideas defended by the French president: to reclaim France's national identity.

Thus, there is neither solidarity with Italy nor fraternity with the Tunisians, even though they are somewhat French. The numbers show that in one month, 2,8 Tunisians arriving from Italy were arrested. Of that total, 1,7 were returned to the border and another 200 were taken back to Tunisia. The remainder continue to have their cases analyzed in France.

The rivalry between Berlusconi and Sarkozy is not a recent phenomenon. The Alps divide two countries on the brink of a diplomatic crisis. A cold war has long reigned between France and Italy, with economic interests as the main players. With 50% control of Italy's second-largest energy supplier, the French company EDF has struggled for 10 years to gain recognition in Italy. In the case of Parmalat, Berlusconi's government is making every effort to curb the appetite of the French company Lactalis, which has just acquired 29% of the Italian company's shares. And in the insurance sector, history repeats itself. Groupama, one of the largest in this sector, saw its hopes of developing in the neighboring country, its second-largest market after France, dashed. Last month, the Ligresti family, which controls the holding company Premafin, Italy's third-largest insurer, ended all sale negotiations. It is this tangle of interests that falls on the shoulders of Tunisian immigrants who speak French and wish to live in France. French Interior Minister Claude Guéant issued some provocative statements this week, which his Italian counterpart, Roberto Maroni, described as hostile. Paris refuses to receive its compatriots and warns: "We will also reduce legal immigration into the country."

This is the first time the Élysée Palace has made such a radical statement regarding the presence of foreigners on French soil. The presidential elections are a year away. Sarkozy is already in full campaign mode. The republican monarchy is not giving up. The polls are cruel and disappointment reigns among the population. And the president is primarily responsible for this. Even so, xenophobic statements are increasingly frequent in the speeches of the UMP, the ruling party. Earlier this week, the wearing of full-face veils was banned in public places. Now, immigrants with legal status in the country are under threat.

Besides Berlusconi, Sarkozy is picking a fight with France's foreign community. According to a study by the University of Lille, compared to the €47,9 billion spent annually by the government to support immigrants, they contribute €60,3 billion in revenue to the country. In other words, the economic balance is positive by €12,4 billion.