For some years I have been concerned with the rise of anti-immigrant, anti-muslim, anti-'any other which isn't quite like us' (whatever like us means) feelings across the European continent. Far right political movement in several countries have secured political recognition and influence for some time now (Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium) and officially center right ones have reccurently lapsed into bouts of extremism (Switzerland, Poland, Spain).
More worryingly governments of all sides have adopted the definite position that immigration isn't a human issue, that we are talking about human beings with life stories, but about numbers, figures and statistics. The reality of human migration, and the reasons which bring it about (setting aside the age-old human tendency to wander the globe), have been obscured by calculations, projections and estimations. Policy and decision makers have become managers, in areas beyond migration as well, who are only concerned with costs, risks and investment.
Accordingly, especially in time of economic hardship, this conveniently allows the media and politicians to play the blame game, accusing immigrants to be the reason why unemployment amongst European citizens is so high. It is much easier to do than to face the fact that long term economic and social planning have not worked, and that often the relocation abroad of companies and the jobs they provide bear a huge responsibility in the failure to find work. The media and the political class juggle numbers, often obscuring what they truly mean, to convince us that it is the migrants we must really be scared of, that they are the threat to our social cohesion. And too often,the public just goes along with this narrative.

So, it is encouraging to see that initiatives like the Manifesto of Concerned Citizens of Europe exists and is given publicity in the press.

Another issue which must be taken into account when reflecting on the rise of anti-immigrant, and more generally anti-Other, feeling, is the disolution of clear national identities, and the absence of a strong European one. In the absence of a strong core of values around which to define one's self, on the basis of which to make decisions and relate to one another, it is inevitable that finding oneself in the presence of communities which still have strong identities is a rather uncomfortable experience. The importance of religion, cultural traditions, family values, political values amongst many migrant groups or groups originating from migration highlights the identitarian confusion in which many Europeans find themselves.
And it is always much easier to get rid of that which casts light on ones unease.