The Negative Side of Enlargement: Anti-Immigration Feelings and Right-Wing Politics
The Enlargement Towards the East 2007: Bulgaria and Romania 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia. 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden 1980s: Greece, Portugal, Spain. 1973: Denmark, Ireland, U.K.
European Union 2007
The Emergence of Enlargement Fatigue: Some Empirical Facts
Why the Negative attitude? The new members are at much lower levels of economic development
GDP per capita in the new member states in PPP (2005) EU Average (27)22600 Bulgaria (BG) 7900 Czech Republic (CZ) Estonia (EE) Latvia (LV) Lithuania (LT) Hungary (HU) Poland (PL) Romania (RO) 8000 Slovenia (SI) Slovakia (SK) 13400
Why the Negative attitude? Magnitude of enlargement: population growth from 380 million to 494 million. Different nature of the EU/EC: Regional Development Fund Freedom of movement across countries since 1992
The European Regional Development Fund: Eligibility
The European Regional Development Fund: Eligibility
Italy’s Backlash against Romanians November 2007 a Romanian raped and killed an Italian woman Violence against the Roma camps in the main cities It helped Berlusconi come back to power Thousands of Romanians were rounded and sent back.
Backlash against Romas Gypsy encampments outside all major Italian cities 2008 Emergenza Nomadi – 150,000 gypsies in Italy – Gates around camps – Finger prints Three camps in Naples were burned to the ground
Where do gypsies come from and why? Most gypsies live in Eastern Europe: Why? Video: -o&playnext_from=TL&videos=GYgkKJCFIJU -o&playnext_from=TL&videos=GYgkKJCFIJU
Enlargement and the Right-Wing Parties The negative aspects of the Enlargement are brought to the electorate by the new right wing parties. What do the right wing parties stand for? Anti- Immigration and anti EU Nationalism and xenophobia Traditional values of the society
A list of right-wing parties in Western Europe Austria: Freedom Party Belgium: National Front, Flemish Block Denmark: Progress Party France: National Front Germany: German People’s Union Italy: Lega Nord, Tricolor Flame Netherlands: Pim Fortuyn List Spain: National Alliance, National Union UK: UK Independence Party
Right-Wing Parties and Immigration Front National: ‘At the origin of most of most of the problems of our country for the last thirty years there has been a menacing immigration policy that has been perpetuated by successive governments.’ EP elections: 2009: 6.3; 2004: 10%; 1999: 5.7 UKIP: We will freeze immigration for five years, speed up deportation of up to a million illegal immigrants by tripling the numbers engaged in deportations, and have ‘no home no visa’ work permits to ease the housing crisis.’ EP elections: 2009: 16%; 2004: 16%; 1999: 7%