‘La mal vie’

Between 2016 and 2019, irregular migration from North Africa to Europe increased, characterized by a shift toward direct departures from home countries and a diversifying migrant demographic that now includes more women, children, and university graduates. The report identifies economic pessimism, structural inequality, and political exclusion as primary drivers, further amplified by a social media ecosystem that romanticizes Europe and provides practical smuggling advice. While European states prioritize border hardening, the report argues that such securitized approaches ignore underlying causes and may destabilize North African governments, which view migration as a social safety valve. It recommends transitioning from short-term technical fixes to comprehensive strategic programs addressing the rule of law and structural inequality.

• Irregular migration from North Africa to Europe rose significantly between 2016 and 2018, with the number of intercepted migrants from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya increasing from 12,482 in 2016 to 31,171 in 2018.
• The demographics of migrants are diversifying; while historically dominated by uneducated young men, there is a growing number of university graduates, women, children, and elderly individuals attempting the journey.
• There has been a strategic shift in migration routes, with migrants reverting to direct departures from their home countries to Europe rather than transiting through Turkey or Libya.
• The 'brain drain' of highly educated professionals, such as medical specialists, is identified as one of the most damaging forms of migration for North African states, eroding essential sectors like healthcare.
• Self-organised smuggling—where migrants independently source boats, engines, and GPS equipment—is increasing in popularity, facilitated by online shopping and social media.
• Social media platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook fuel migration by romanticising life in Europe and providing detailed, crowdsourced practical instructions on routes and smuggling methods.
• Migration is driven by a combination of economic frustration—including high youth unemployment and inflation—and political pessimism, where youth feel excluded by an aging leadership.
• Structural inequality and a weak application of the rule of law drive migrants to seek 'dignity' in Europe, which is perceived as a place where rights are upheld and people are treated fairly.
• For North African governments, halting migration to satisfy European partners can be politically risky, as migration often serves as a stabilising outlet for social tension and youth frustration.
• The report argues that European reliance on securitised approaches, such as border hardening and forced returns, is inefficient because it fails to address the underlying structural drivers of migration.

APA

Herbert, M. (2019). ‘La mal vie’. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/nar-3-2.pdf

Chicago

Herbert, Matt. ‘La mal vie’. Institute for Security Studies, 2019. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/nar-3-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Herbert |first1=Matt |title=‘La mal vie’ |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=May 2019 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/nar-3-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{herbert2019mal, author = {Herbert, Matt}, title = {{‘La mal vie’}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/nar-3-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }