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Resolution 1889 (2012) Final version
The portrayal of migrants and refugees during election campaigns
1. The Parliamentary Assembly recalls
that Europe has a long history of emigration and that, owing to
its ageing population, the continent is now divided between the
need to take in immigrants and the fear that they will gradually
erode some of the cultural traditions and practices in European
societies.
2. The Assembly considers that the rise of xenophobia is challenging
democratic principles and respect for human dignity.
3. Although the member States of the Council of Europe already
have legal remedies for countering xenophobia and racist speech,
the Assembly feels that a real strategy is needed for combating
xenophobia, especially during election campaigns.
4. During election campaigns, some candidates and political parties
habitually present migrants and refugees as a threat to and a burden
on society, which increases negative reactions among the public
to immigration and immigrants.
5. These negative reactions are linked to factors such as the
feeling of losing control of immigration, the fear of differences
and concerns for cultural identity, the collapse of the employment
market and a widespread feeling of insecurity.
6. These factors have thus become electoral issues for certain
political parties. This works to not only increase manifestations
of xenophobia but also facilitate the rise of xenophobic populist
parties, which are increasingly feeding into a trend of more radical
government anti-immigration policy.
7. The Assembly, referring to its Resolution 1754 (2010) and Recommendation 1933 (2010) on
the fight against extremism: achievements, deficiencies and failures,
condemns those groups and political leaders that, inspired by racist
or xenophobic ideologies, promote or are prepared to condone violence.
It calls for enhanced ethics in politics to help reduce racist tendencies
in society. It reiterates that politicians have a special responsibility
to eliminate negative stereotyping or stigmatisation of any minority
or migrant group from the political discourse, including during
election campaigns, and considers that the international election observation
missions should pay attention to the issue of racist or xenophobic
abuses during election campaigns and reflect any concerns in their
reports.
8. The Assembly notes that the media have a vital role to play
here and bear a major responsibility in shaping the image of migrants
and their descendants.
9. It also notes that the Internet and social networks play an
increasingly important role in spreading xenophobic and anti-immigrant
attitudes.
10. The Assembly would also like to draw attention to the biased
nature of some opinion polls, whose results and complex questions
do not always reflect public opinion in its entirety. This can be
counterproductive, especially in terms of migrant and migration
issues.
11. Consequently, the Assembly recommends that member and observer
States, and particularly parliaments:
11.1. adopt measures aimed at:
11.1.1. establishing a
communication policy on the reality of migration flows based on
the values of human rights, the rule of law and democracy;
11.1.2. ensuring that migrants can fully integrate into the host
society by helping them, among other things, to learn the local
language, the customs and the laws of the host country;
11.1.3. clamping down on irregular entry and helping irregular
migrants to return to their countries, or regularising those who
cannot and shall not be expelled;
11.1.4. implementing measures to prevent employers from undermining
pay and working conditions;
11.1.5. implementing a policy to combat discrimination;
11.1.6. the removal of barriers to democratic participation by
granting migrants voting rights, including the right to vote and
the right to stand in local and regional elections after a legal residence
period of five years or less;
11.2. promote, where appropriate, open and balanced political
debates on the issue of migration in order to provide the best possible
replies to the questions and concerns of the general public and
to combat all xenophobic ideologies;
11.3. encourage political leaders to assume their responsibilities
during debates on migration issues and to combat xenophobic rhetoric
and ideology;
11.4. encourage the media to use factually correct, balanced
and fair formulations by providing them with the appropriate data
and statistics;
11.5. draw up guidelines for opinion polls and all direct democracy
exercises, in order to prevent any bias;
11.6. develop and reinforce the role of electoral commissions
so that they can sanction political leaders if they behave inappropriately
before or during election campaigns;
11.7. encourage local and regional authorities to work more
closely with migrant communities in order to improve mutual understanding;
11.8. carry out an objective analysis of the impact of the political
strategies of radical xenophobic populist parties;
11.9. urge all political parties to adhere to the principles
contained in the Charter of European Political Parties for a Non-Racist
Society, signed by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and
the President of the European Parliament in 2003, and to actively
implement and promote these principles;
11.10. disseminate to the electoral authorities in member States,
prior to election campaigns, the 2005 European Commission Against
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Declaration on the use of racist,
anti-Semitic and xenophobic elements in political discourse.
12. Furthermore, the Assembly invites the European Commission
for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), notably through its
Council for Democratic Elections, to carry out a study on the portrayal
of migrants and refugees during election campaigns, with a view
to possibly amending the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters.