Rise of populist nationalism puts European security at risk: CoE secretary general

Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), warned in his third annual report, published this week, against the risk to European security posed by the rise of populist nationalism across the continent.

"Europe is currently struggling with many serious challenges, including terrorism, migration and conflict. This is being successfully exploited by nationalists and populists in many places, and trust in national and European institutions is dwindling," the Secretary General observed in his report which will be discussed by the CoE Committee of Ministers during their session next month in Sofia, Bulgaria, on May 18th.

Of particular concern in the secretary general's report is the threat posed to the integration of migrants, and the ways that populist and extremist groups have taken advantage of the ongoing refugee crisis that has divided Europe.

According to Jagland, the CoE's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has observed that "intolerant speech by public figures and media frequently targets migrants, and that the legitimate discussion on migration and the challenges it poses is often appropriated in populist politics and election campaigning."

More than a million people fled to Europe from war and instability in their home countries in 2015, according to statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The resulting political divisions among European politicians and public opinion has seen the return of internal border checks within the Schengen Zone, and certain commentators have warned against the collapse of the European project altogether.

The CoE secretary general also lamented "a dangerous tendency toward legislative nationalism," in which states risk contravening international standards by introducing laws, often in attempts to stem the flow of migrants. Endit