Immigration is one of the hot button issues of the upcoming European elections. In fact, according to Krastev and Leonard (2024) migration is one of five “existential crises” that currently trouble European voters, along with the crises of the economy, climate, health and security. The authors say these fears, more than the left-right ideological divide, will determine the outcome of June’s vote. 

What is striking about the immigration issue compared to the other crises is how it looms so large in the political debate, to the extent that in several national contexts the European elections have come to be considered a referendum on immigration. In France, Jordan Bardella, right-hand man to Marine Le Pen and head of the National Rally ticket, was unequivocal at the launch of his party’s election campaign: “It is quite clear [these elections] are a referendum against being inundated with migrants” (Bassets, 2024).