European Union moves towards “ethnic Europeanism”: European sentiment in a year of wars and elections

A study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) warns of an increase in xenophobia in the European Union and the impact that limited diversity, ‘lukewarm’ enthusiasm in central and eastern Europe and low participation of young people can have on European values.

The report notes that there was a significant increase in violence and xenophobia following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which led to many European Muslims feeling physically threatened, marginalized and alienated. The anti-immigration discourse was also fueled by campaigns by far-right parties in European countries, which won elections in France, Italy, Belgium, Austria and Hungary.