| OCR Text |
Show 42 merely public perception that drives support for niche parties. Presence and Growth of Minority Groups The primary concern for the MCCP niche is, as the name implies, minority containment and cultural protection, so key measures are migration levels and flows. As Hollifeld states, "Few issues have had a greater impact on the politics and society of contemporary Western Europe than immigration" (1994, 26). The basic argument is that as immigrant inflows or totals increase, MCCP niches have more fuel to ignite voters' fears (losing jobs, culture/identity, etc.) and thus mobilize support (Dalton 2006, 106110). One important qualification must be noted. While MCCP niche parties in the countries of Western and Eastern Europe are similar in pushing for policies for minority containment and cultural protection, their specific targets differ. MCCP niches in the West focus on the more modern fear of immigrants who have moved to Western Europe over the past half-century from regions like North Africa and the Middle East, as well as fear the spread of Islam. In contrast, in the East where many states still experience higher levels of emigration than immigration, MCCP niches are more focused on fear of traditional ethnic minorities and the Roma (Mudde 2007). As van der Brug and Fennema explain, If we include parties from central or Eastern Europe the term ‘anti-immigration' does not capture what these parties are about. Since immigration into these countries is very limited (apart from former East Germany), these parties have not mobilized against immigrants. Rather, they have promoted strong right-wing nationalism and as such they have mobilized anti-EU sentiments, as well as antiSemitism and hate against other ethnic groups, in particular the Roma. (2009, 590) The common thread of minority containment does not require a conceptual distinction in |
