Anti-immigrant politics move into Europe’s mainstream
Anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies once confined to Europe’s political fringe are increasingly shaping the continent’s mainstream debate, driven by rising migration, economic anxiety and the growing influence of nationalist parties.
In the UK and across Europe, hostile language toward immigrants has become more overt. Mass protests, racist remarks by lawmakers and calls for deportations of long-term residents reflect a political climate in which hard-line positions on migration are gaining ground. Parties advocating mass deportations and portraying immigration as a threat to national identity are leading or near the top of opinion polls in several countries, including Britain, Germany and France.
Experts say the trend is fuelled by a combination of higher migration, long-running economic stagnation since the 2008 financial crisis, polarising social media and the rise of charismatic nationalist leaders. While asylum-seekers account for only a small share of total migration, immigration has become a powerful symbol of broader social and economic unease.
Racist rhetoric and hate crimes are rising alongside the political shift. In England and Wales, police recorded more than 115,000 hate crimes in the year to March 2025, while misinformation and inflammatory speech have helped spark violent anti-immigrant protests in several European countries.
Mainstream parties have responded by hardening their own positions. Governments and opposition parties alike are proposing tougher rules on settlement, weaker protections for migrants and easier deportations, arguing that they must address public concerns. Critics warn that this approach risks legitimising extreme views and pushing politics further to the right.
Human rights advocates caution that adopting far-right rhetoric only accelerates the cycle. As political leaders increasingly echo nationalist language, they warn, Europe risks deepening social divisions and normalising intolerance at the heart of its political life.
