immigrants and the country’s creditors (International Monetary Fund, EU, European Central Bank); the leader of the party proposed to remove all illegal immigrants and the creditors from Greece, and place landmines around the border to prevent additional migrants from entering48. Their proclamations were reminiscent to those of the junta that ruled Greece from 1967-1974. Golden Dawn’s popularity rose as they adopted programs that benefitted Greek nationals only – they presented themselves as a “heroic outlaw robbing from the rich and giving to the poor”49, although the poor had to be Greek and speak Greek to benefit.
VVIn its 2013 World Report, Human Rights Watch states that in Greece, “xenophobic violence reached alarming proportions with regular attacks on immigrants and asylum seekers, and growing evidence of Golden Dawn members’ involvement”50; given that Golden Dawn was by this point the third-largest party, this is a massive example of the EU’s inability to harness its soft power and take action in Greece: the EU was seen as one of the sources of the problem.
VVImmigration is essential in Western countries with traditionally low birth rates, in order to keep the demographics balanced. However, states such as Germany and France are adopting short-term approaches to immigration; individuals arrive in Europe and work on short-term contracts without the possibility of family reunification claims, and once they contribute to the economy (and pay their taxes), they leave before becoming a burden to the state51. Increasingly, “direct and indirect forms of discrimination are… tolerated and even mandated in many areas of life”52. The effect of the increasing popularity of the radical right is that xenophobic, intolerant, and racist crimes or behaviours become justifiable under their ideologies and policies. The cases of Hungary and Greece have been highlighted, but this phenomenon has been observed as well in Austria, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Romania, and the United Kingdom[3] – members states of the EU, and some of which are traditionally thought of as ideal host countries.
102
48. Bistis 2013
49. Ibid. p.49
50. Ibid. p.52
51. Halasz 2009
52. Ibid. p.491