“Xenophobic populism and hate speech have continued to rise in 2017, with high levels of migration and challenges of integration, religious extremism, terrorist attacks and the austerity-driven socio-economic climate observed all over Europe.”
This is according to the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in their annual report for 2017.
The report outlines the persisting anti-Muslim rhetoric, widespread antisemitism, little progress in anti-Black discrimination and a varied picture of homo- and trans-phobia in 2017.
However, it notes that progress on Roma rights has been made in many states.
The Chairperson of ECRI Jean-Paul Lehners said
While acknowledging the difficulties European states encounter, we still have to encourage them to change their narrative to a more balanced and fact-based discourse that emphasises the positive contribution of well-governed migration, in particular by underlining the opportunities and resources migrants can bring.
