1. The Negative Side of Enlargement:
Anti-Immigration Feelings and
Right-Wing Politics

2. 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.

3. European Union 2007

4. The Emergence of Enlargement Fatigue: Some Empirical Facts

5. Why the Negative attitude?
The new members are at much lower levels of economic development

6. GDP per capita in the new member states in PPP (2005)
EU Average (27)
22600 
Bulgaria (BG) 
7900 
Czech Republic (CZ) 
17300 
Estonia (EE) 
14000 
Latvia (LV) 
11400 
Lithuania (LT) 
12200 
Hungary (HU) 
14700 
Poland (PL) 
11700 
Romania (RO) 
8000 
Slovenia (SI) 
19200 
Slovakia (SK) 
13400 

7. 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

8. The European Regional Development Fund: Eligibility 1994-1999

9. The European Regional Development Fund: Eligibility 2000-2006

11. 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.

12. 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

13. Where do gypsies come from and why?
Most gypsies live in Eastern Europe:
Why? Video:

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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%; : 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%; : 7%