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| Migrant Influx May Give Europe’s Far Right a Lift | Migrant Influx May Give Europe’s Far Right a Lift |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| LONDON — As Europe basks in good feelings over its generosity to thousands of migrants and asylum seekers last weekend, critical voices from the political right and far right are poised to become among the biggest beneficiaries of the continuing flow. | |
| Parties that have been growing in opposition to immigration, the influence of Islam and the European Union seized on the decision by Austria and Germany to welcome the migrants, pointing out the difficulty of now shutting the migrant tap. | Parties that have been growing in opposition to immigration, the influence of Islam and the European Union seized on the decision by Austria and Germany to welcome the migrants, pointing out the difficulty of now shutting the migrant tap. |
| And after the shambles of Greece, the image of a European Union seemingly incapable of defending its borders, while trying to impose mandatory quotas on nations for accepting refugees, fit Euroskeptics’ portrayal of Brussels as a European Union capital at once incompetent and domineering. | And after the shambles of Greece, the image of a European Union seemingly incapable of defending its borders, while trying to impose mandatory quotas on nations for accepting refugees, fit Euroskeptics’ portrayal of Brussels as a European Union capital at once incompetent and domineering. |
| “Germany, Sweden, and Austria deserve great credit for their willingness to accept refugees, but elsewhere on the Continent the reaction ranges from passivity to outright hostility,” said Michael Haltzel, a visiting senior fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs who advised Joseph R. Biden Jr., now vice president, when he served in the Senate. “There is a considerable danger of overload. And I fear that the political beneficiaries in many countries will be right-wing ultranationalists.” | “Germany, Sweden, and Austria deserve great credit for their willingness to accept refugees, but elsewhere on the Continent the reaction ranges from passivity to outright hostility,” said Michael Haltzel, a visiting senior fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs who advised Joseph R. Biden Jr., now vice president, when he served in the Senate. “There is a considerable danger of overload. And I fear that the political beneficiaries in many countries will be right-wing ultranationalists.” |
| Carl Bildt, Sweden’s former foreign minister, expressed some of the anxiety felt by governing parties when he said that “at the end of the day, every country is nervous” about this large group of new migrants, “though some pretend not to be.” | Carl Bildt, Sweden’s former foreign minister, expressed some of the anxiety felt by governing parties when he said that “at the end of the day, every country is nervous” about this large group of new migrants, “though some pretend not to be.” |
| Right now “there is a tendency to blame everyone else,” he said, “but this will be a challenge to every country.” | Right now “there is a tendency to blame everyone else,” he said, “but this will be a challenge to every country.” |
| The process of integration into a Western society is difficult and takes time, Mr. Bildt said. “It’s far more than providing the first tent.” | The process of integration into a Western society is difficult and takes time, Mr. Bildt said. “It’s far more than providing the first tent.” |
| Even in Sweden, he noted, which has been the European country most open to Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, the anti-immigration, anti-European Union Sweden Democrats are now ahead of the two largest parties in the opinion polls with about 25 percent, after having won a record 12.9 percent of the vote in last September’s elections. | Even in Sweden, he noted, which has been the European country most open to Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, the anti-immigration, anti-European Union Sweden Democrats are now ahead of the two largest parties in the opinion polls with about 25 percent, after having won a record 12.9 percent of the vote in last September’s elections. |
| “It’s a tremendous breakthrough for us,” Tommy Nilsson, party manager for southern Sweden, told the Daily Telegraph. “There’s too much immigration and too many beggars from Eastern Europe. People are starting to realize that this is a serious problem for Sweden.” | “It’s a tremendous breakthrough for us,” Tommy Nilsson, party manager for southern Sweden, told the Daily Telegraph. “There’s too much immigration and too many beggars from Eastern Europe. People are starting to realize that this is a serious problem for Sweden.” |
| The new rightist government in Denmark has taken out advertisements in the Lebanese press warning refugees not to come, that the government has toughened immigration laws and cut benefits. | The new rightist government in Denmark has taken out advertisements in the Lebanese press warning refugees not to come, that the government has toughened immigration laws and cut benefits. |
| In France, in a speech on Sunday to her National Front party, which warns about Islam, immigration and a powerful German-dominated Brussels, Marine Le Pen accused Germany of opening its doors to refugees to exploit them for cheap labor, while imposing its immigration policies on its neighbors. | In France, in a speech on Sunday to her National Front party, which warns about Islam, immigration and a powerful German-dominated Brussels, Marine Le Pen accused Germany of opening its doors to refugees to exploit them for cheap labor, while imposing its immigration policies on its neighbors. |
| “Germany seeks not only to rule our economy, it wants to force us to accept hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers,” she said in Marseille. | “Germany seeks not only to rule our economy, it wants to force us to accept hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers,” she said in Marseille. |
| Referring to the death of a Syrian boy in Turkey and other asylum seekers in a truck in Austria, all at the hands of human traffickers, she accused European politicians of “exploiting the death of the unfortunate in these trips organized by mafia. They show pictures, they exhibit the death of a child without any dignity, just to blame the European consciences and make them accept the current situation.” | Referring to the death of a Syrian boy in Turkey and other asylum seekers in a truck in Austria, all at the hands of human traffickers, she accused European politicians of “exploiting the death of the unfortunate in these trips organized by mafia. They show pictures, they exhibit the death of a child without any dignity, just to blame the European consciences and make them accept the current situation.” |
| The Syrian civil war is now in its fifth year, and the numbers are staggering. More than four million Syrians have fled the country and are registered as refugees, while another 6.5 million are internally displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. There are more than 1.9 million Syrian refugees in Turkey alone, another 1.1 million in Lebanon and more than 629,000 in Jordan. | The Syrian civil war is now in its fifth year, and the numbers are staggering. More than four million Syrians have fled the country and are registered as refugees, while another 6.5 million are internally displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. There are more than 1.9 million Syrian refugees in Turkey alone, another 1.1 million in Lebanon and more than 629,000 in Jordan. |
| Europe cannot take them all. | Europe cannot take them all. |
| In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced something close to pride on Monday that Germany is now seen as a desirable and welcoming destination for refugees. “That is something very valuable, if you look at our history,” she said. | In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced something close to pride on Monday that Germany is now seen as a desirable and welcoming destination for refugees. “That is something very valuable, if you look at our history,” she said. |
| But many fear a backlash. There have been more than 200 attacks on asylum seekers or their shelters this year in Germany. In the pretty south German town of Rottenburg am Neckar, officials are investigating as possible arson a fire that broke out at 2 a.m. Monday, injuring six people, in a facility housing 84. | |
| A day earlier, even the partners in Ms. Merkel’s center-right bloc, the Christian Social Union, openly criticized her for allowing in tens of thousands of migrants from Hungary and Austria. That “sends the wrong signal to individual countries,” said Gerda Hasselfeldt, the party’s leader in the federal Parliament. | A day earlier, even the partners in Ms. Merkel’s center-right bloc, the Christian Social Union, openly criticized her for allowing in tens of thousands of migrants from Hungary and Austria. That “sends the wrong signal to individual countries,” said Gerda Hasselfeldt, the party’s leader in the federal Parliament. |
| The C.S.U. welcomed a government decision late Sunday to reduce cash allowances for refugees as a victory for their harder line. “There will be less incentive in the future for unfounded applications for asylum,” said the party’s general secretary, Andreas Scheuer. | The C.S.U. welcomed a government decision late Sunday to reduce cash allowances for refugees as a victory for their harder line. “There will be less incentive in the future for unfounded applications for asylum,” said the party’s general secretary, Andreas Scheuer. |
| Sigmar Gabriel, the leader of the Social Democrats and vice chancellor, acknowledged that beyond the cheers and handouts of chocolates and toys, there were what he called very real worries, fears and conflicts. | Sigmar Gabriel, the leader of the Social Democrats and vice chancellor, acknowledged that beyond the cheers and handouts of chocolates and toys, there were what he called very real worries, fears and conflicts. |
| “We have to be realistic about this from the start to avoid disappointments,” he said. “We’ll manage to take in 800,000 this year, accommodate and integrate them, too. But it is also clear for everyone that that cannot repeat every year.” | “We have to be realistic about this from the start to avoid disappointments,” he said. “We’ll manage to take in 800,000 this year, accommodate and integrate them, too. But it is also clear for everyone that that cannot repeat every year.” |
| Germany so far has little trouble with far-right political parties. The nationalist Alternative for Germany has split; the anti-immigrant marches have also died down. But neo-Nazis openly battled police at an asylum facility at Heidenau, near Dresden, last month. | Germany so far has little trouble with far-right political parties. The nationalist Alternative for Germany has split; the anti-immigrant marches have also died down. But neo-Nazis openly battled police at an asylum facility at Heidenau, near Dresden, last month. |
| In Austria, arson attacks are rare. But a strong populist party, the right-wing Freedom Party, has made noticeable gains in the months of refugee crisis. | In Austria, arson attacks are rare. But a strong populist party, the right-wing Freedom Party, has made noticeable gains in the months of refugee crisis. |
| Austria expects the same proportion of asylum applications, 1 percent of the population, as Germany. In bellwether elections in Vienna in October, the Freedom Party now threatens to outperform the Social Democrats, making inroads particularly among lower classes with strident anti-Muslim rhetoric. | Austria expects the same proportion of asylum applications, 1 percent of the population, as Germany. In bellwether elections in Vienna in October, the Freedom Party now threatens to outperform the Social Democrats, making inroads particularly among lower classes with strident anti-Muslim rhetoric. |
| Some observers believe the sympathy shown to refugees may have tipped the scales away from the rightists. | Some observers believe the sympathy shown to refugees may have tipped the scales away from the rightists. |
| “These feelings are transitory, of course, but they won’t fade without leaving some trace,” said Georg Hoffmann-Ostenhof, a columnist for the center-left weekly Profil. | “These feelings are transitory, of course, but they won’t fade without leaving some trace,” said Georg Hoffmann-Ostenhof, a columnist for the center-left weekly Profil. |
| Austrians have traditionally welcomed migrants and felt good doing so this weekend, particularly since almost none of the arriving thousands planned to stay, he said. “For us, this feeling of doing good has come almost for free — at least for the time being.” | Austrians have traditionally welcomed migrants and felt good doing so this weekend, particularly since almost none of the arriving thousands planned to stay, he said. “For us, this feeling of doing good has come almost for free — at least for the time being.” |
| The issue is sensitive in Britain, too, which last year had net immigration of 330,000 people and where Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure from his own party and from the U.K. Independence Party to bring down the numbers or withdraw from the European Union. | The issue is sensitive in Britain, too, which last year had net immigration of 330,000 people and where Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure from his own party and from the U.K. Independence Party to bring down the numbers or withdraw from the European Union. |
| Under public pressure, Mr. Cameron has now agreed to take up to 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps in the region over the next five years as a humanitarian gesture, and will increase to 1 billion pounds a year humanitarian aid to Syria. | Under public pressure, Mr. Cameron has now agreed to take up to 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps in the region over the next five years as a humanitarian gesture, and will increase to 1 billion pounds a year humanitarian aid to Syria. |
| Mr. Cameron has promised a referendum on continued British membership in the European Union by the end of 2017, but possibly to take place next autumn. But what appears to be a European mess and more immigration has been a boon for those opposed to continued British membership. | Mr. Cameron has promised a referendum on continued British membership in the European Union by the end of 2017, but possibly to take place next autumn. But what appears to be a European mess and more immigration has been a boon for those opposed to continued British membership. |
| Mr. Bildt, of Sweden, says that in the long run, the European Union will come up with some better solutions. “But we have to find a coherent European response. Controlling the outer border of Schengen is vital to the system,” he said, referring to the passport-free zone within Europe. “It is uncomfortable but necessary, and it needs to be done.” | Mr. Bildt, of Sweden, says that in the long run, the European Union will come up with some better solutions. “But we have to find a coherent European response. Controlling the outer border of Schengen is vital to the system,” he said, referring to the passport-free zone within Europe. “It is uncomfortable but necessary, and it needs to be done.” |