The politicisation of international migration: is Spain an enduring exception?

Sebastian Rinken, científico titular, Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IESA-CSIC). srinken@iesa.csic.es. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7951-8501  

^{Esta publicación forma parte del proyecto de I+D+i PID2023-149034OB-I00 («Measuring Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: Prevalence & Predictors», MAPP), financiado por la Agencia Estatal de Investigación del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional de la Unión Europea (FEDER/UE); para más información, véase https://www.iesa.csic.es/en/proyectos/measuring-anti-immigrant-sentiment-prevalence-predictors-mapp/} . ^{Agradezco a Julia Ranchal (IESA-CSIC) la extracción y preparación de los datos de la ESS utilizados en este trabajo.} 

Drawing on data from various surveys, this paper reveals surprising patterns regarding the prominence of immigration as a political issue in Spain and the ideological polarisation that it triggers. The appearance of the radical right party VOX in 2018 failed to engender a greater perception of immigration as a priority problem; on the contrary, over the last few years that perception has become decoupled from the numbers of irregular migrants intercepted on Spain’s maritime borders. While attitudes towards immigration increasingly correlate with political ideology, this has less to do with greater hostility on the part of people on the right of the ideological spectrum than with more sympathetic views from those on the left. These results suggest that Spanish society’s reaction to international migration remains an exception, though it must be noted that the data may be distorted by social desirability bias. 

Keywords: Spain, immigration, politicization of immigration, polarization, VOX

How to cite this article:  Rinken, Sebastian. «La politización de la migración internacional en España: ¿excepcionalismo duradero?». Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, n.º 140 (septiembre de 2025), p. 79-100. DOI: doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.79

Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, nº 140 pp. 79-100
Quadrimestral (May-September 2025)
ISSN:1133-6595 | E-ISSN:2013-035X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.79

Reception date:  29.04.25 ;  Acceptance date:  13.06.25

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