Immigrants Change Face of Old Europe

A demographic revolution is changing the face of Europe. Declining birthrates, coupled with growing immigration, mean the end of ethnic homogeneity for Europe's traditional nation-states. Also, Europe's predominantly Christian population must get used to the idea of intermixing with Muslims; with immigrants flowing in from Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East, mosques and halal butchers are taking their place alongside cathedrals and charcuteries.

Integrating minorities into European society is perhaps the single most important challenge facing the European Union.

Multiethnic society does not come easily to Europe. Until recent reforms, Germany defined citizenship through ethnicity rather than birthplace or residency, leaving, say, German-born Turks without a true sense of belonging. France has long embraced a more inclusive notion of citizenship, but many French continue to distinguish between citizens of French stock (francais de souche) and others.

This mind-set has contributed to widespread ethnic segregation, with minority communities in European countries regularly living in their own enclaves -- often impoverished and feeling like second-class citizens.

The resulting social strains have buoyed the political fortunes of Europe's anti-immigrant right.

In France's last presidential election, Jean-Marie Le Pen, long an icon of the extreme right, garnered almost 20% of the vote, besting the incumbent prime minister in the first round before losing to Jacques Chirac in a runoff.

Before the 2002 elections in Holland, Pim Fortuyn was one of the first Dutch politicians to openly discuss the need to preserve traditional Dutch values and norms in the face of immigration. Fortuyn's popularity soared -- but his political career was cut short by an assassin just before the vote.

The Austrian elections of 1999 brought into the governing coalition the Freedom Party of Jorg Haider, a politician well known for his racist attitudes. Although Haider has stepped down as party leader -- in part because of the international uproar resulting from his electoral success -- his party is still in the ruling coalition.

However appealing the exclusionary impulse of the far right seems, Europeans cannot afford to close their doors to newcomers. Without immigration, the population of most European countries is poised to age and shrink. Europe's fertility rate is well below what's needed to keep the population at its current level. Today, there are 35 pensioners for every 100 workers within the European Union. By 2050, current demographic trends would leave Europe with 75 pensioners for every 100 workers, and in countries like Italy and Spain, the ratio would be 1 to 1.