NEW RIGHT POLICIES IN EUROPE AND ITS IMPACT ON IMMIGRANTS

New right-wing policies in Europe have been leaving their mark on the last 20-25 years of Europe. There is a "new racism" phenomenon created by the new right-wing policies that see immigrants as "freeloaders". However, this is not some sort of a racism that advocates apartheid regime, genocide, slavery or white supremacy as we know it.

This “new racism” is a racism that is no longer based on biological grounds, but for cultural and economic reasons. Today, it is seen that those who can no longer openly defend biological racism are the champions of culturalist discrimination and marginalization. The people who are exposed to this type of discrimination and marginalization are generally those of immigrant origin, minority ethnic groups, people of different faiths, women and homosexuals who are not given equal opportunities in society. This “new form of racism” demonizes immigrants and refugees in order to preserve economic prosperity and national identity, and makes them scapegoats by pretending that immigrants and their cultures are the cause of all adversities and national problems. The new racism, which is present in many immigration receiving countries, can be defined as the process of labeling immigrants and other disadvantaged groups as different or inferior on the basis of their cultural characteristics. Labeling immigrants as total foreigners, this new process of racism involves the use of economic, social or political power and is often aimed at justifying the exploitation/exclusion of immigrant groups or other disadvantaged communities. The new racism argues that it is not natural for dissimilar groups to live together peacefully. Some even argue that various cultural groups must live separately.

We know that the main reason for the formation of the protest identities of immigrant youth is the feeling of not being accepted and included in the society they live in. This sense of not being accepted is actually related to the "cultural difference" trend motivated by the new racism in Europe. It is considered that there is a cultural difference between the host society and the immigrants that does not equate, and that will never be culturally erased. As a result, due to this understanding of cultural difference, third or fourth generation immigrant children in Europe are not seen as Europeans and this psychological/sociological acceptance has not been realized yet. This new racism claims that there is a cultural hierarchy among societies rather than biological superiority. 

As the economic situation worsens, racism based on cultural differences spreads further and increases in intensity and repercussions. Cultural differences are suggested instead of biology and race to exclude certain groups. In this case, claims of superiority or inferiority are determined by the standards of the majority culture. Thus, those who differ from the majority culture can be marginalized for refusing to assimilate.

With the introduction of anti-immigrant policies under the leadership of the security policies introduced after the devastating attack in the United States after September-11-2001, an anti-foreigner climate emerged. In Norway, which can be regarded as one of the most peaceful and prosperous states in Europe, the far-right and racist Anders Behring Breivik murdered 77 people, most of whom were immigrant children in 2011. It should also be read as a result of the xenophobic climate. 

A large part of the anger against immigrants is due to the fact that these foreigners do not resemble other people in the country they live in in terms of clothing, appearance, thinking and lifestyle. This anger appears as an understanding that sees learning the language, customs and cultures of the country in which one lives as the basic criterion of living together.