Young people are driving the far-right in Europe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No young people are smarter than they are given credit for, if not for the indoctrination in American schools we would be seeing it here as well.

Interesting. Some people are America blaming schools and educators, which I find interesting. I have heard that language before — “indoctrination” in schools. IRL .

Where does that language or theory come from?

I heard Jordan Peterson talk about the over influence and over-therapy in kids. ie kids are being directed to therapists too much in the US (he explained it in a snazzy video). I can actually buy that. But Where is this blaming schools thing coming from? Is this in a study or survey that I missed?

I think it just always existed.
Think about it, the whole history course is now about how white people exploited all kinds of non white people.

Why is it SOOOO hard for you to hear that they kind of did?

Because it is history. History is violent and brutal. You think white people were the only bad people? Hell, why don't you go learn about the Arab slave trade from Africa, Ghengis Khan, Chinese and Indian slavery, slavery by indigenous tribes in South and Central America, or the murderous empire of Imperial Japan.

This exactly

+2
Inconvenient facts.

I agree that history is violent and brutal and that humans have enslaved other humans throughout our history. But that doesn't negate that the main enslavers in recent history were whites. The inconvenient facts post makes no sense. Both things can be true.

And modern day whites need to stop being so crazy about this. If you never enslaved anyone and treat all people kindly, you have nothing to feel guilty about. I don't go around feeling guilt for what other people have done. But I also would like to know more than just whitewashed history and would like to be part of building a better world for everyone. Why would you NOT want to do that?

Sounds like you are the one who needs a history- make that current events - lesson.

+1. There are around 50 million people in slavery TODAY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm European. Young people are indeed moving further to the right in western Europe. There are two issues driving it - immigration and housing. The younger generation doesn't accept the platitudes and social justice mantras of older generations. They look at their communities - whether in Sweden, France, Holland - and note that nearly all violent crime is committed by Arab and African immigrants. And it's younger people that are often the victims of it - from sexual assault to muggings to murder. Most immigrants to Europe do not accept western mores and values. And younger Europeans are tired of it. They will increasingly vote for anti-immigration parties.

Secondly, fewer and fewer Europeans can afford their own home - whether owning or renting. And this is also tied to immigration. They see how much their governments are spending to house and feed immigrants from Mali or Iraq. And that leads to resentment. The traditional left and center-left parties are often seen as out-of-touch dinosaurs that are completely removed from the day to day realities of average Europeans. The energy is increasingly with the right wing parties. Even in liberal and tolerant Holland, the far right candidate - Geert Wilders - got the most votes in the last election. And I suspect that trend will continue throughout western Europe. Young people are fed up, and they are untethered from the past. The Cold War is a long time ago. And World War II is something you read about in a history book. They will increasingly vote for the right because the left has failed to address the issues they are concerned about.

But it should be noted that the European right is nothing like the American right. Every European wants health insurance, pensions, social welfare, vacation time, affordable education, a sane climate policy etc etc. Immigration and the cost of housing is what drives the European right.

And this is why I’ve spent the last 8+ years warning Democrats to not just take the decline of public support for conservative economic policies for granted.

Imagine someone more competent than Trump with economic policies that match up more to Bernie Sanders—yet just as against immigration and social justice issues as Trump is.

I firmly believe there would be a very wide appeal to someone like that. And I don’t see the GOP staying a viable party in the future unless they take that sort of route.

Ding, ding, ding!

Once the dinosaurs clear out, someone will eventually combine the best of right and left and force a major realignment. Will that be the Dems, Reps or someone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In addition to housing and crime, here are the other items that tend to prompt heretofore left leaning people to shift right when they are personally impacted by immigration:

1. Longer waits for healthcare while surrounded by people they assume are immigrants

2. Being rejected or deferred from college and assuming immigrants or people of color are leap frogging ahead.

3. Struggling to get a job and assuming immigrants or minorities are the reason.

Etc.

I can’t tell you how many liberals I know who are quietly shifting right because of these kinds of things once they are personally impacted.

There’s perception and then there’s reality. For example, in the UK 35% of doctors and 28% of nurses are now another nationality. Sure immigrants (controlled) have probably increased demand a bit but in actual fact they are more part of the solution. The problems are multifaceted (underinvestment by the Tory government, ageing of the population, etc) but it’s easier to look for someone to blame.

Similarly, in the UK there’s a stir about international students taking away university spots from domestic students. But the reality is that without international student fees, universities would probably close or reduce numbers.

Brexit is a prime example of how perceptions can be wrong and easily manipulated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people have wised up to neoliberal stupidity which essentially just "WhItE PpL BaD!!".

How dare Europeans desire to remain European with European identities and values. Liberal want to import and infinite amount of poverty and diversity, even though those diverse groups coming in have completely antagonistic social and religious values as the countries they're flooding into. People have had their limits with immigration and liberals' kumbaya vision for the world that is pure lunacy.

You have clearly do not understand the situation in Europe if you think the liberals are encouraging the importation of poverty and diversity.

Freedom of movement was established under the EU to encourage flexible and mobile labour markets. It was in fact driven by free market economics. This means that any citizen of an EU country has the right to live and work in another country. It predictably resulted in a large movement of migrants from poorer countries to wealthier countries upon enlargement of the EU to include Eastern European countries.

Opposition to migrants in the UK largely sprung from the fairly rapid arrival of large numbers of Eastern Europeans, particularly Poles, in the UK which led to a perception that cheap labour was undercutting the wages and working conditions of locals. The reality was Eastern European workers were more easily exploited and generally were prepared to work for less money. This is somewhat true. Note that these new arrivals were largely white and Christian. In some small towns, changes happened very rapidly as large numbers of migrants arrived.

According to The Economist, areas that saw increases of over 200% in foreign-born population between 2001 and 2014 saw a majority of voters back leave in 94% of cases. The Economist concluded 'High numbers of migrants don't bother Britons; high rates of change do.' Consistent with that notion, research suggests that areas that saw significant influx of migration from Eastern Europe following the accession of 12 mainly Eastern European countries to the European Union in 2004 saw significant growth in support for the UK Independence Party and more likely to vote to leave the European Union.

So please note the negative attitudes towards migration were largely initially fueled by the sudden arrival of large numbers of white Christian migrants. The seeds of Brexit were sown by Eastern European migrants, not by migrants from outside the EU. Ironically, since Brexit, most migrants to the UK are now from outside the EU, particularly the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia.

While true, this is irrelevant. The immigration issues today driving the shift right are not about Eastern Europeans.

It's not really about non-Eastern Europeans in some of these countries either. The article refers to a social influencer in Portugal.
You may be aware Portugal has one of the most severe housing and cost of living crises in Europe due to foreign investment in real estate, over-tourism, and the advent of the digital nomad (there are over 15,000 in Lisbon). Life is miserable for Portuguese who can barely afford to rent flat and houses if they can indeed find them. Once upon a time, young Portuguese (who almost all speak English) would move to London to spread their wings and look for work. This is no longer available to them.

People who are unhappy look for people to blame. It's definitely not non-white immigrants who are driving up the costs of living.

Again, This is misleading, if not explicitly false. High costs of housing are a result of several different factors, such as policies which are effectively subsidies and drive up prices. However, additional demand caused by uncontrolled migration is also a factor.

Wrong.

Portugal has in fact been overrun with foreigners buying multiple properties primarily for investment purposes.

Porto has lost its local charm because the bulk of the tourist area is owned by Asians and Europeans who rent the properties through Airbnb, etc. Locals are doubled or tripled up or forced out of the area. And it’s not just Porto.

And it’s not just Portugal.

Everyone should recognize the role they play in displacing locals and driving up housing costs when you rent an Airbnb. And everyone should realize that housing markets are quickly skewed when foreign nationals can snap up real estate.

Wrong. Are you unfamiliar with the concept of supply and demand? The cause of housing shortages across Europe is multi-factorial and suggesting it is only due to rich foreigners in Lisbon is a lie.

https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86571/1/sercdp0223.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tent-dwelling-migrants-join-protest-over-portugals-housing-prices-2023-09-30/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to housing and crime, here are the other items that tend to prompt heretofore left leaning people to shift right when they are personally impacted by immigration:

1. Longer waits for healthcare while surrounded by people they assume are immigrants

2. Being rejected or deferred from college and assuming immigrants or people of color are leap frogging ahead.

3. Struggling to get a job and assuming immigrants or minorities are the reason.

Etc.

I can’t tell you how many liberals I know who are quietly shifting right because of these kinds of things once they are personally impacted.

There’s perception and then there’s reality. For example, in the UK 35% of doctors and 28% of nurses are now another nationality. Sure immigrants (controlled) have probably increased demand a bit but in actual fact they are more part of the solution. The problems are multifaceted (underinvestment by the Tory government, ageing of the population, etc) but it’s easier to look for someone to blame.

Similarly, in the UK there’s a stir about international students taking away university spots from domestic students. But the reality is that without international student fees, universities would probably close or reduce numbers.

Brexit is a prime example of how perceptions can be wrong and easily manipulated.

This conversation has nothing to do with Brexit.

Conservatives in the UK concerned about university spots are a small minority. The larger concerns are over changing crime patterns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No young people are smarter than they are given credit for, if not for the indoctrination in American schools we would be seeing it here as well.

Interesting. Some people are America blaming schools and educators, which I find interesting. I have heard that language before — “indoctrination” in schools. IRL .

Where does that language or theory come from?

I heard Jordan Peterson talk about the over influence and over-therapy in kids. ie kids are being directed to therapists too much in the US (he explained it in a snazzy video). I can actually buy that. But Where is this blaming schools thing coming from? Is this in a study or survey that I missed?

I think it just always existed.
Think about it, the whole history course is now about how white people exploited all kinds of non white people.

Why is it SOOOO hard for you to hear that they kind of did?

Because it is history. History is violent and brutal. You think white people were the only bad people? Hell, why don't you go learn about the Arab slave trade from Africa, Ghengis Khan, Chinese and Indian slavery, slavery by indigenous tribes in South and Central America, or the murderous empire of Imperial Japan.

This exactly

+2
Inconvenient facts.

I agree that history is violent and brutal and that humans have enslaved other humans throughout our history. But that doesn't negate that the main enslavers in recent history were whites. The inconvenient facts post makes no sense. Both things can be true.

And modern day whites need to stop being so crazy about this. If you never enslaved anyone and treat all people kindly, you have nothing to feel guilty about. I don't go around feeling guilt for what other people have done. But I also would like to know more than just whitewashed history and would like to be part of building a better world for everyone. Why would you NOT want to do that?

Not true at all. China didn't even ban slavery until the 20th century!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re interested in this topic with regard to how it is or may play out in the US, check out people like Charlie Kirk. He is a conservative founder of Turning Point USA and regularly speaks on college campuses

Last week he was at Cal Poly and had 1200 students show up to see him. He has had similar outcomes on campuses around the country. His take on what is happening is that it is young men who are finally waking up. They see their future with things like home ownership threatened, plus culture issues like the transing of a generation.

As a mother of three boys I concur with his observation.

"Transing?" Do you hear yourself?
Recognizing that trans people are humans is not "transing" anything. Not to you, your kids, your family.

Your fearmongering is revolting.

Nope, sorry. Not going to back down from that one. Yes, there is social contagion that is fueling the trans craze. The teens I know are the ones who use the term “transing.”

I am not in favor of this term. I respect all people and I have a decent number of gay friends.

However, if you talk to parents who are living through these times, you will get silence, forward leaning-listening and sometimes silent nods. If you are not a parent of a pre teen and teens, it’s really hard to understand this phenomenon right now. What this person is saying is heart-felt even thought their language is off putting.

is this enough to move votes, doubt it. But older millennial and gen x parents are feeling these shifts.

[Anonymous]

If a party is getting 20-30% or more of the vote, it’s not really “far right”, is it? More like the definition of what constitutes mainstream politics needs to be redefined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to housing and crime, here are the other items that tend to prompt heretofore left leaning people to shift right when they are personally impacted by immigration:

1. Longer waits for healthcare while surrounded by people they assume are immigrants

2. Being rejected or deferred from college and assuming immigrants or people of color are leap frogging ahead.

3. Struggling to get a job and assuming immigrants or minorities are the reason.

Etc.

I can’t tell you how many liberals I know who are quietly shifting right because of these kinds of things once they are personally impacted.

There’s perception and then there’s reality. For example, in the UK 35% of doctors and 28% of nurses are now another nationality. Sure immigrants (controlled) have probably increased demand a bit but in actual fact they are more part of the solution. The problems are multifaceted (underinvestment by the Tory government, ageing of the population, etc) but it’s easier to look for someone to blame.

Similarly, in the UK there’s a stir about international students taking away university spots from domestic students. But the reality is that without international student fees, universities would probably close or reduce numbers.

Brexit is a prime example of how perceptions can be wrong and easily manipulated.

This conversation has nothing to do with Brexit.

Conservatives in the UK concerned about university spots are a small minority. The larger concerns are over changing crime patterns.

What changing crime patterns?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re interested in this topic with regard to how it is or may play out in the US, check out people like Charlie Kirk. He is a conservative founder of Turning Point USA and regularly speaks on college campuses

Last week he was at Cal Poly and had 1200 students show up to see him. He has had similar outcomes on campuses around the country. His take on what is happening is that it is young men who are finally waking up. They see their future with things like home ownership threatened, plus culture issues like the transing of a generation.

As a mother of three boys I concur with his observation.

"Transing?" Do you hear yourself?
Recognizing that trans people are humans is not "transing" anything. Not to you, your kids, your family.

Your fearmongering is revolting.

This is rextreme. Reframing this concerns as “Human recognition” is extreme. This reframing shuts down dialogue by assuming arguments that are not present. This is Worse case scenario framing and “disaster thinking” as psychologists call. It shuts down conversation. Both sides can do this and it’s tiresome.

[Anonymous]

-catastrophic thinking. It can be obsessive. Driven mostly by fear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people have wised up to neoliberal stupidity which essentially just "WhItE PpL BaD!!".

How dare Europeans desire to remain European with European identities and values. Liberal want to import and infinite amount of poverty and diversity, even though those diverse groups coming in have completely antagonistic social and religious values as the countries they're flooding into. People have had their limits with immigration and liberals' kumbaya vision for the world that is pure lunacy.

You have clearly do not understand the situation in Europe if you think the liberals are encouraging the importation of poverty and diversity.

Freedom of movement was established under the EU to encourage flexible and mobile labour markets. It was in fact driven by free market economics. This means that any citizen of an EU country has the right to live and work in another country. It predictably resulted in a large movement of migrants from poorer countries to wealthier countries upon enlargement of the EU to include Eastern European countries.

Opposition to migrants in the UK largely sprung from the fairly rapid arrival of large numbers of Eastern Europeans, particularly Poles, in the UK which led to a perception that cheap labour was undercutting the wages and working conditions of locals. The reality was Eastern European workers were more easily exploited and generally were prepared to work for less money. This is somewhat true. Note that these new arrivals were largely white and Christian. In some small towns, changes happened very rapidly as large numbers of migrants arrived.

According to The Economist, areas that saw increases of over 200% in foreign-born population between 2001 and 2014 saw a majority of voters back leave in 94% of cases. The Economist concluded 'High numbers of migrants don't bother Britons; high rates of change do.' Consistent with that notion, research suggests that areas that saw significant influx of migration from Eastern Europe following the accession of 12 mainly Eastern European countries to the European Union in 2004 saw significant growth in support for the UK Independence Party and more likely to vote to leave the European Union.

So please note the negative attitudes towards migration were largely initially fueled by the sudden arrival of large numbers of white Christian migrants. The seeds of Brexit were sown by Eastern European migrants, not by migrants from outside the EU. Ironically, since Brexit, most migrants to the UK are now from outside the EU, particularly the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia.

While true, this is irrelevant. The immigration issues today driving the shift right are not about Eastern Europeans.

It's not really about non-Eastern Europeans in some of these countries either. The article refers to a social influencer in Portugal.
You may be aware Portugal has one of the most severe housing and cost of living crises in Europe due to foreign investment in real estate, over-tourism, and the advent of the digital nomad (there are over 15,000 in Lisbon). Life is miserable for Portuguese who can barely afford to rent flat and houses if they can indeed find them. Once upon a time, young Portuguese (who almost all speak English) would move to London to spread their wings and look for work. This is no longer available to them.

People who are unhappy look for people to blame. It's definitely not non-white immigrants who are driving up the costs of living.

Again, This is misleading, if not explicitly false. High costs of housing are a result of several different factors, such as policies which are effectively subsidies and drive up prices. However, additional demand caused by uncontrolled migration is also a factor.

Wrong.

Portugal has in fact been overrun with foreigners buying multiple properties primarily for investment purposes.

Porto has lost its local charm because the bulk of the tourist area is owned by Asians and Europeans who rent the properties through Airbnb, etc. Locals are doubled or tripled up or forced out of the area. And it’s not just Porto.

And it’s not just Portugal.

Everyone should recognize the role they play in displacing locals and driving up housing costs when you rent an Airbnb. And everyone should realize that housing markets are quickly skewed when foreign nationals can snap up real estate.

Wrong. Are you unfamiliar with the concept of supply and demand? The cause of housing shortages across Europe is multi-factorial and suggesting it is only due to rich foreigners in Lisbon is a lie.

https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86571/1/sercdp0223.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tent-dwelling-migrants-join-protest-over-portugals-housing-prices-2023-09-30/

PP’s post didn’t say it wasn’t due to supply and demand or that it wasn’t multi-factorial. Obviously foreign buyers drive up demand and transitioning rental properties to Airbnb reduces supply. One of the articles you linked explicitly states it’s partly due to “gentrification and record tourism.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people have wised up to neoliberal stupidity which essentially just "WhItE PpL BaD!!".

How dare Europeans desire to remain European with European identities and values. Liberal want to import and infinite amount of poverty and diversity, even though those diverse groups coming in have completely antagonistic social and religious values as the countries they're flooding into. People have had their limits with immigration and liberals' kumbaya vision for the world that is pure lunacy.

You have clearly do not understand the situation in Europe if you think the liberals are encouraging the importation of poverty and diversity.

Freedom of movement was established under the EU to encourage flexible and mobile labour markets. It was in fact driven by free market economics. This means that any citizen of an EU country has the right to live and work in another country. It predictably resulted in a large movement of migrants from poorer countries to wealthier countries upon enlargement of the EU to include Eastern European countries.

Opposition to migrants in the UK largely sprung from the fairly rapid arrival of large numbers of Eastern Europeans, particularly Poles, in the UK which led to a perception that cheap labour was undercutting the wages and working conditions of locals. The reality was Eastern European workers were more easily exploited and generally were prepared to work for less money. This is somewhat true. Note that these new arrivals were largely white and Christian. In some small towns, changes happened very rapidly as large numbers of migrants arrived.

According to The Economist, areas that saw increases of over 200% in foreign-born population between 2001 and 2014 saw a majority of voters back leave in 94% of cases. The Economist concluded 'High numbers of migrants don't bother Britons; high rates of change do.' Consistent with that notion, research suggests that areas that saw significant influx of migration from Eastern Europe following the accession of 12 mainly Eastern European countries to the European Union in 2004 saw significant growth in support for the UK Independence Party and more likely to vote to leave the European Union.

So please note the negative attitudes towards migration were largely initially fueled by the sudden arrival of large numbers of white Christian migrants. The seeds of Brexit were sown by Eastern European migrants, not by migrants from outside the EU. Ironically, since Brexit, most migrants to the UK are now from outside the EU, particularly the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia.

While true, this is irrelevant. The immigration issues today driving the shift right are not about Eastern Europeans.

It's not really about non-Eastern Europeans in some of these countries either. The article refers to a social influencer in Portugal.
You may be aware Portugal has one of the most severe housing and cost of living crises in Europe due to foreign investment in real estate, over-tourism, and the advent of the digital nomad (there are over 15,000 in Lisbon). Life is miserable for Portuguese who can barely afford to rent flat and houses if they can indeed find them. Once upon a time, young Portuguese (who almost all speak English) would move to London to spread their wings and look for work. This is no longer available to them.

People who are unhappy look for people to blame. It's definitely not non-white immigrants who are driving up the costs of living.

Again, This is misleading, if not explicitly false. High costs of housing are a result of several different factors, such as policies which are effectively subsidies and drive up prices. However, additional demand caused by uncontrolled migration is also a factor.

Wrong.

Portugal has in fact been overrun with foreigners buying multiple properties primarily for investment purposes.

Porto has lost its local charm because the bulk of the tourist area is owned by Asians and Europeans who rent the properties through Airbnb, etc. Locals are doubled or tripled up or forced out of the area. And it’s not just Porto.

And it’s not just Portugal.

Everyone should recognize the role they play in displacing locals and driving up housing costs when you rent an Airbnb. And everyone should realize that housing markets are quickly skewed when foreign nationals can snap up real estate.

Wrong. Are you unfamiliar with the concept of supply and demand? The cause of housing shortages across Europe is multi-factorial and suggesting it is only due to rich foreigners in Lisbon is a lie.

https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86571/1/sercdp0223.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tent-dwelling-migrants-join-protest-over-portugals-housing-prices-2023-09-30/

PP’s post didn’t say it wasn’t due to supply and demand or that it wasn’t multi-factorial. Obviously foreign buyers drive up demand and transitioning rental properties to Airbnb reduces supply. One of the articles you linked explicitly states it’s partly due to “gentrification and record tourism.”

PP explicitly said it was not multi factorial.

[Anonymous]

https://www.euronews.com/business/2023/07/04/are-short-term-rentals-the-cause-of-portos-housing-crisis

Recent article discussing Porto’s housing crisis. Long story short: airbnbs and foreign nationals.

Prompted a big protest in 2023. The housing crisis is real, not imagined.

PS - I was there in 2019 and the locals were very vocal about the crisis even then.

Fwiw, I don’t think foreign nationals should be able to own real estate. If they must, then there should be heavy front-end fees (like Grand Cayman has/had? Upwards of $1M to have the privilege of buying real estate in the country.

And I don’t think people should be able to own countless properties…even citizens. One primary residence, one vacation property, and perhaps a third. That’s it. We have citizens and foreigners who own dozens upon dozens of properties not to mention corporations (both foreign and domestic). It’s a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because people have wised up to neoliberal stupidity which essentially just "WhItE PpL BaD!!".

How dare Europeans desire to remain European with European identities and values. Liberal want to import and infinite amount of poverty and diversity, even though those diverse groups coming in have completely antagonistic social and religious values as the countries they're flooding into. People have had their limits with immigration and liberals' kumbaya vision for the world that is pure lunacy.

You have clearly do not understand the situation in Europe if you think the liberals are encouraging the importation of poverty and diversity.

Freedom of movement was established under the EU to encourage flexible and mobile labour markets. It was in fact driven by free market economics. This means that any citizen of an EU country has the right to live and work in another country. It predictably resulted in a large movement of migrants from poorer countries to wealthier countries upon enlargement of the EU to include Eastern European countries.

Opposition to migrants in the UK largely sprung from the fairly rapid arrival of large numbers of Eastern Europeans, particularly Poles, in the UK which led to a perception that cheap labour was undercutting the wages and working conditions of locals. The reality was Eastern European workers were more easily exploited and generally were prepared to work for less money. This is somewhat true. Note that these new arrivals were largely white and Christian. In some small towns, changes happened very rapidly as large numbers of migrants arrived.

According to The Economist, areas that saw increases of over 200% in foreign-born population between 2001 and 2014 saw a majority of voters back leave in 94% of cases. The Economist concluded 'High numbers of migrants don't bother Britons; high rates of change do.' Consistent with that notion, research suggests that areas that saw significant influx of migration from Eastern Europe following the accession of 12 mainly Eastern European countries to the European Union in 2004 saw significant growth in support for the UK Independence Party and more likely to vote to leave the European Union.

So please note the negative attitudes towards migration were largely initially fueled by the sudden arrival of large numbers of white Christian migrants. The seeds of Brexit were sown by Eastern European migrants, not by migrants from outside the EU. Ironically, since Brexit, most migrants to the UK are now from outside the EU, particularly the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia.

While true, this is irrelevant. The immigration issues today driving the shift right are not about Eastern Europeans.

It's not really about non-Eastern Europeans in some of these countries either. The article refers to a social influencer in Portugal.
You may be aware Portugal has one of the most severe housing and cost of living crises in Europe due to foreign investment in real estate, over-tourism, and the advent of the digital nomad (there are over 15,000 in Lisbon). Life is miserable for Portuguese who can barely afford to rent flat and houses if they can indeed find them. Once upon a time, young Portuguese (who almost all speak English) would move to London to spread their wings and look for work. This is no longer available to them.

People who are unhappy look for people to blame. It's definitely not non-white immigrants who are driving up the costs of living.

Again, This is misleading, if not explicitly false. High costs of housing are a result of several different factors, such as policies which are effectively subsidies and drive up prices. However, additional demand caused by uncontrolled migration is also a factor.

Wrong.

Portugal has in fact been overrun with foreigners buying multiple properties primarily for investment purposes.

Porto has lost its local charm because the bulk of the tourist area is owned by Asians and Europeans who rent the properties through Airbnb, etc. Locals are doubled or tripled up or forced out of the area. And it’s not just Porto.

And it’s not just Portugal.

Everyone should recognize the role they play in displacing locals and driving up housing costs when you rent an Airbnb. And everyone should realize that housing markets are quickly skewed when foreign nationals can snap up real estate.

Wrong. Are you unfamiliar with the concept of supply and demand? The cause of housing shortages across Europe is multi-factorial and suggesting it is only due to rich foreigners in Lisbon is a lie.

https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/86571/1/sercdp0223.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tent-dwelling-migrants-join-protest-over-portugals-housing-prices-2023-09-30/

PP’s post didn’t say it wasn’t due to supply and demand or that it wasn’t multi-factorial. Obviously foreign buyers drive up demand and transitioning rental properties to Airbnb reduces supply. One of the articles you linked explicitly states it’s partly due to “gentrification and record tourism.”

PP explicitly said it was not multi factorial.

I certainly didn’t mean that.

But I sense you are perhaps defensive since I hit a nerve? Are you a regular Airbnb user? I’m baffled by how many public interest/social justice activists I know IRL who get really defensive when I point out the negative impact of airbnbs and the overall commoditization of housing. It’s not good. And it’s real, not just a perception.