2011-08-06

European right headed for bigger victories?

Many people instinctively viewed the attacks in Norway as bad news for anti-immigration politicians in Europe, but the trend they are riding is too powerful to be derailed by one incident. Here's an older article (from April 2011) on the issue, but which makes it clear that the right is winning a total victory.

Strict Immigration Laws 'Save Denmark Billions'
But things may soon get pushed even further. Elections are due to be held this fall, and the ruling parties apparently want to put forward even stricter rules, driven by the xenophobic rhetoric of the right-wing populists. In polls, the approval ratings of more liberal politicians have fallen, and the opposition center-left Social Democrats have promised not to change current immigration laws if they win the election. Immigration will always be a big issue in Denmark -- almost 10 percent of Denmark's 5.5 million people are migrants -- and the issue was a decisive one in the last election, in 2007.
I have no doubt that if the United States and other European nations tightened their immigration laws, they would prove just as popular and the pro-immigration politicians would be forced into the position of Denmark's left, one of accepting current changes by fighting further changes. Which, as any conservative can tell you, is a losing strategy in the long run. Immigration restrictions will continue tightening until social mood has bottomed.

No comments:

Post a Comment