Immigration fears boost Europe's right

Pim Fortuyn broke a political taboo (picture: AP)

By William Horsley BBC European affairs correspondent

The crushing defeat of the Social Democrat-led government in the Netherlands confirms the trend recently seen in France, with the shock defeat of the Socialist Lionel Jospin and record support for Jean-Marie Le Pen and his National Front.

In France, the Netherlands and elsewhere, many voters on low-to-middle incomes have turned away from left-of-centre parties and embraced resurgent right-wing groups instead.

The Social Democrats claim to have a good record of economic growth and cutting unemployment.

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Yet voters feel vulnerable and fed up with their old leaders, and it seems the biggest motive is fear of the changes that have come with uncontrolled immigration.

Pim Fortuyn broke a political taboo by claiming that Islam was "backward" because of its treatment of women and gay people.

Asylum applications 2001

Austria: 24,513

Denmark: 12,512

Netherlands: 32,579

UK: 72,000

But that comment struck a chord with voters, who want the next government to take steps to make immigrants conform to Dutch customs, including language learning and accepting liberal social attitudes.

In the Netherlands a spirited debate can now be expected on that.

Already governments in many parts of Europe, including Britain, Denmark and Austria are taking steps to oblige immigrants to learn the country's language and accept its concept of citizenship.

At the same time the European Union is making new efforts to stop the influx of illegal immigrants, and work out common immigration policies to satisfy the real economic need for immigrant labour.

There are no easy solutions to these sensitive problems.

Illegal immigration is impossible to stop because of the EU's extensive borders and coastline.

Hardline anti-immigrant attitudes in places like Germany and Austria make more liberal policies difficult.

And Muslim and other minority communities everywhere want reassurance that the shift to the right will not mean more discrimination and hardship for them.

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