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)  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 

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 1994-1999

The European Regional Development Fund: Eligibility 2000-2006

Italy’s Backlash against Romanians

• November 2007 a Romanian raped and killed an Italian woman

• Violence against the Rroma camps in the main cities

• It helped Berlusconi come back to power• Thousands of Romanians were rounded and

sent back.

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: 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%