I can assure you they are not concerned by illegal drugs and crime as every single french city is gangrened by drug dealers and thugs. But they really don't like free speech.
I can't pass the paywall but does it mention Paris is losing people? I was living in the 15th arrondissement and this family area turned into a violent zone in a couple of years as they put public housing everywhere. Drug dealers, violence at my kid school, theft... My street became a spot for druggies and I had to pass them with my kids. 15 minutes from the Eiffel tower...
I left this city 3 years ago and found safer land. All my friends did the same. There is no sane reason to stay in an area with so much violence. Parisians will deny this but will just say "you have to avoid this and that, have a pepper spray, do not wear a skirt, do not go there at night..."
Please visit the cities or countries you have in mind first, because I don't see a single country in the West which is still appealing, maybe Switzerland (Lausanne is great but not Geneva).
Here in France you need luck and money to live in a city without too much violence and crime but with good business opportunities. It consumes your mind to be exposed to such ugliness on a daily basis.
It's funny because I'm afraid to raise my kids here and I'm thinking to move to Russia (or Switzerland) to avoid them to study in a Western city (they already speak Russian).