The Varying Challenge of Islamophobia for the EU: On Anti-Muslim Resentments and Its Dividend for Right-Wing Populists and Eurosceptics—Central and Eastern Europe in a Comparative Perspective

Gert Pickel,Cemal Öztürk

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-54674-8_3

Abstract

Abstract The so-called refugee crisis and the fear of Islamist terror have turned out to be serendipitous for right-wing populist parties. They portray themselves as defenders of the ‘Christian Occident’ and campaign against an ‘invasion of Muslims’ that was allegedly orchestrated by cosmopolitan elites of the EU. Against this backdrop, this chapter explores the linkage between anti-Muslim sentiments and Eurosceptic attitudes. The study shows that (1) there is a pan-European nexus between Islamophobia and Euroscepticism, (2) there is a nexus that is primarily driven by voters of right-wing populist parties and (3) the magnitude of Islamophobic attitudes differ, however, between societies. An anti-Muslim social climate is particularly widespread in Eastern Europe, where hardly any Muslims live. The contribution addresses the resulting implications for the legitimacy of the EU.

Highlights

Is There a Connection Between Islamophobia, Right-Wing Populism and Euroscepticism?1In the 2019 European elections, right-wing populist and far-right parties2 witnessed a clear plus in votes
We demonstrate that Islamophobic attitudes among citizens have become a pan-European strain for the EU, while at the same time, they are more pronounced in Eastern Europe
Our results indicate a robust relationship between the support for a Muslim ban and the perception that the European unification process has gone too far

Summary

Introduction

Is There a Connection Between Islamophobia, Right-Wing Populism and Euroscepticism?1. Using the European Social Survey data, we scrutinise the IslamophobiaEuroscepticism Nexus in a comparative perspective, showing that in Western Europe, it is primarily (though not exclusively) supported by voters of right-wing populist parties, while in the new EU member states, right-wing populists and mainstream politicians attempt to outbid each other when it comes to Islamophobic statements. The consequences of Islamophobia and Euroscepticism for the EU are controversial

Theorising the Islamophobia-Euroscepticism Nexus

Research Design

First Result

Second Result

Findings

Conclusion