Abstract: The countries of the European Union are faced with a combination of issues: The Far Right is rising in most European countries. In Italy, France and the Netherlands, the Far Right has direct influence on the government. That trend is fuelled by the continuing irregular migration to Europe. The societies that constitute the European Union have become profoundly critical of irregular immigration. Sweden and Denmark, previously liberal societies, have reversed their preferences. Europe has not turned its back to migration, but to uncontrolled immigration. The inward-looking trend has been mirrored in trade policy: The EU has been emphasizing trade policies that will make exporting to the EU more difficult. The EU is thus both failing to secure the consent of the governed in the key area of immigration and is simultaneously isolating itself in international economic relations.
About the speaker: Prof. Heribert Dieter is an Adjunct Professor at NIAS. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Research Unit Global Issues, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin (since September 2001. His research focus includes the following: global governance, development, trade and fiscal policy. He is also a Visiting Professor of International Political Economy, Zeppelin University, Lake Constance (since 2013), and also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Potsdam (since 2017).