Trouble in paradise: the politicisation of immigration in the Netherlands

Blanca Garcés-Mascareñas, investigadora sénior, CIDOB (Barcelona Center for International Affairs). bgarces@cidob.org. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-3964 

Rinus Penninx, profesor emérito, Universidad de Amsterdam. m.j.a.penninx@uva.nl. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3357-0136 

The rise of Pim Fortuyn in the early 2000s has been described as a “turning point in Dutch politics”, that is, the moment when far-right populism and anti-immigration stances became a permanent feature of the public debate. How can we explain this rapid and sustained politicisation of immigration in the Netherlands? To answer the question, this paper reviews the main patterns of politicisation of immigration and integration since the 1970s, identifies the primary contextual factors that facilitated this process and analyses the consequences in terms of public policies. One of the main conclusions is that both political and cultural factors were key to explaining the politicisation of immigration in the Netherlands.

Keywords: politicisation, immigration, The Netherlands, far-right parties 

How to cite this article: Garcés, Blanca y Penninx, Rinus. «Trouble in paradise: la politización de la inmigración en los Países Bajos». Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, n.º 140 (septiembre de 2025), p. 37-56. DOI: doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.37

Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, nº 140, p. 37-96
Quadrimestral (May-September 2025)
ISSN:1133-6595 | E-ISSN:2013-035X
DOI:  https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2025.140.2.37

Reception date: 07.05.25  ;  Acceptance date:   30.06.25

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