Transnational Solidarity and Good Governance: Is the ‘Refugee’ Phenomenon an Extremist Threat for the Eu?

Abstract

After two decades of refugee waves from post-communist countries, Europe has been facing again this phenomenon in the three last years. During the Syria wars, residents from the Middle East escaped to Jordan, Libya and Turkey. By the extension of these waves refugees’ destination was European countries. By the side of the Middle East refugee wave, last two years European countries have been facing refugees from African countries. These waves are identified as the current European refugee crisis. In the European country's public opinion (even though this phenomenon was not new), sometimes it is evaluated as a threat that contains extremism. This phenomenon may not seem extraordinary in itself, but considering that it happened in European countries characterized by extreme xenophobic attitudes, where the societies have low levels of trust in general, exploited by the Government’s anti-immigration campaign. The different aspects of anxiety and fear connected to the refugee waves, perceived by the receiving society are worth analyzing in today’s Europe, especially in light of the recent terror attacks and other incidents in which immigrants play a significant role worldwide. Xenophobic attitudes, discriminations, social exclusions etc., bring out the clashes between newcomers and residents. Regarding the above explanation, this article will focus on the descriptive analysis of the refugee phenomenon in Europe and whether is it an extremist threat to European society or just the public opinion perceives it like that.

Received: 16 October 2023 / Accepted: 2 November 2023 / Published: 23 November 2023