Economic or Cultural Threat? : orientations towards immigration and European integration among EU citizens and national parties over time : KING Project – Political Science Unit. Desk Research Paper n. 5/July 2014

Action HOME/2012 - 2013/EIFX/CA/CFP/4000004268. The recent Lampedusa tragic events have brought the attention once again to the fact that addressing immigration issues is critical for the future development of the European Union project. In this perspective, and for publicly legitimizing any future policy decision on immigration and integration, understanding the point of view of political parties and, most of all, of citizens is crucial. Taking into account the 27+1 EU countries included in the KING project, we first categorize EU countries according to their different levels of foreign population (Eurostat) and integration levels (Mipex) (Macro level). We then look at the climate of opinion on extra-EU immigration in different countries both among parties and citizens, investigating how these attitudes are related to growing Euroscepticism feelings brought about by the recent Eurozone economic and financial crisis. On the one hand, using expert surveys, we direct our attention on the attitudes that political parties in different countries have on immigration, identifying whether party position are more or less positive about it and whether they are more or less Eurosceptic (Meso level). On the other hand, using public opinion surveys (EB and ESS), we look at attitudes towards immigration of national publics, looking at whether the economic or cultural dimension are prevalent in shaping citizens’ opinions and investigating which social categories are more or less prone to consider immigrants as a threat. We also look at whether anti-immigration attitudes help to feed Euroscepticism feeling (Micro level). We conclude with some general policy advice and directions. Following data results and the relative importance of the cultural dimension in shaping anti-immigration attitudes over the economic one, we propose that, along with a lively and inclusive public debate on immigration and nationhood, long-term systematic measures that address educational and anti-discrimination policy should be implemented at different (coordinated) levels.