Closing the Door to Immigration in Eastern Europe

• In Event: 4151 - International Migration Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 14: Global Migration I

Abstract

The post-communist countries of eastern and central Europe lack both the diversity of western Europe and its history of liberal democracy. Normative supports for multiculturalism were not yet established in eastern Europe when these states were confronted with a series of challenges: the economic crisis of 2008, mass migration from Syria and other conflict zones, and a resurgent Russia. Right-wing political leaders such as Victor Orban in Hungary and Jaroslaw Kaczynski in Poland projected strength in the face of these obstacles to voters’ financial and social stability by emphasizing the importance of religion and tradition in national identity. Protection of citizens from immigrants, homosexuals and globalists formed the basis of the nationalist party platforms that have grown in popularity throughout eastern Europe during the twenty-first century. Using the European Social Survey rounds 1-8 (2002-2016) this paper examines the impact of anti-immigrant sentiment, mistrust of global governance, religiosity and opposition to homosexuality on voter support for right-wing populist parties in nine eastern and central European states: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. The results suggest that there is no place for immigrants in the nationalist party platforms now popular with voters and central to government policy in many post-communist states. Financial benefits for citizens including annual cash payments to reward increased family size have been put in place by right-wing elected leaders, assuring their continued popular support and a closed-door policy for migrants who do not share the nation’s traditional religion and cultural background. Liberal democratic parties hoping to maintain the rule of law in eastern Europe will struggle to compete with right-wing parties without offering similar financial protections for voters.

Authors

• Pamela Irving Jackson, Rhode Island College

• Peter E. Doerschler, Bloomsburg University