Immigration and populist political strategies : the Swiss case in European perspective

Author(s) : Gianni D’Amato, Didier Ruedin

Source : https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351608923 (chapter 3)

Abstract:

We examine whether opposition to immigration is a successful strategy for parties. We argue that elements of anti-immigrant populism have been around for long, but the recent intensity of anti-immigrant politicisation and its geographical reach are unprecedented. Electorally, anti-immigrant populism has been successful strategy if parties embed it into a broader frame of communitarianism. There is no clear evidence, however, that anti-immigrant populism affected the lives of most immigrants in Switzerland substantively. We argue that this is due to symbolic politics, a focus on specific subgroups, and the actions of other actors and principles of liberal democracy as anti-poles.