Anti-immigration movements in Portugal are becoming increasingly organized

Researcher Thais França warned this Saturday that anti-immigrant movements exist in Portugal and are becoming increasingly organized, moving closer to their European counterparts, although without a similar social impact.

In anti-immigrant groups, “there is a much larger and stronger organization, many more groups are emerging that are becoming more organized, with a clearer agenda, occupying more and more space not only in social movements, but also within party politics,” warned Research Fellow at the ISCTE Center for Sociological Research.

The Thaís França study, funded by EEA Grants Portugal, included 20 interviews with Portuguese activists who describe themselves as anti-immigrants, and the findings show that the agenda is similar to that of other European countries.

“These anti-immigration movements exist in Portugal, but they are not as visible as in other contexts,” so there is a tendency to say that the problem does not exist in Portugal, which “is a lie.” he explained.

According to the researcher, “some manifestations of hate speech are beginning to appear, mainly online, cases that can be seen on the street, demonstrations against migrants,” she gave an example.

While acknowledging that “everything is very punctual,” the researcher says her research shows that these movements exist “more covertly and are organized.”

Moreover, he stressed, in Portugal there is growing “space for putting forward these anti-immigration demands, despite the fact that until now Portugal has pursued a very open policy towards immigrants.”

The influx of foreigners into the country increases the expectations of these groups for greater visibility, since previously, with traditional immigration from Portuguese-speaking countries, this contributed to the fact that “the so-called culture shock was much less intense than what could be observed in other countries.” countries”.

A Brazilian-born researcher encountered this in her interviews. “[Os ativistas anti-imigração] They said that my case is an exception because I am integrated into Portuguese society, because I work and contribute,” in a kind of “noble savage discourse” towards others.

These groups advocate for “increased entry controls” of migrants and criticize “cultural diversity in schools” policies, the researcher explained.

These are organizations that “advocate for Portugal to change policies that are very open to migrants compared to other European countries”, with “demand programs” very similar to other groups in other countries.

It is about “the risk of losing Portuguese identity as more immigrants arrive and Portugal begins to adopt other cultural practices that are not traditional,” explained Thais França.

Findings from the project, which brings together similar studies conducted in Norway, Italy, Germany, France and Austria, will be presented on November 29.

Despite the underlying anti-immigrant discourse in society, Thais França does not believe the upcoming elections in March will confirm the problem.

“The issue of anti-immigration is on Chegi’s agenda” and “he is trying to enter other parties”, but the current political crisis “is happening in the context of corruption” and this will be the main theme of the election campaign, he predicted. .

“If this was a normal exit from the government, I would believe that this issue of migration would be more actively on the agenda, because it is also on the agenda of political parties,” but “today I don’t think so.” “, he decreed.