A recent report has found that European Union (EU) member countries are increasingly ‘adopting a xenophobic view of Europeanness’, which makes people of colour and religious minorities feel unwelcome. 

According to the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) report, Europe and, by extension, the EU are something of a ‘Barbieland’, which it defines as “a place prone to regard itself as more perfect than it really is—and harbouring some notable blind spots.”

The report’s author, Pawel Zerka, a research fellow at the ECFR, noted that sentiment towards the EU had been largely positive despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the ukraine-russia conflict and, in the last year, the war in Gaza. “Despite nearly two decades marked by recurrent crises, most citizens in almost every EU member state are well disposed towards the EU – they trust the bloc, they are optimistic about its future, and they personally feel attached to it,” says Zerka.  

However positive, Zerka argues these sentiments have three blindspots: The EU’s ‘whiteness’, subdued European sentiment in central and eastern Europe and decreased youth participation. “Despite being, on average, more pro-European and tolerant on social questions than older generations, many young Europeans did not turn out to vote in the European elections – and, when they did, they often opted for far-right or anti-establishment alternatives,” says Zerka. 

Right-wing parties have made significant strides in recent elections within EU member countries. France is the latest example. In June, the centrist coalition led by President Emmanuel Macron lost control of parliament. The far-right National Rally (RN) won 89 seats (17.3%)—more than ten times its haul from the last elections.

RN is led by conservative, anti-immigration, Islamophobe and holocaust denier Marine Le Pen.

In Germany, the popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) alongside the Confederation’s dominance in Poland’s youth vote underscores a troubling shift: younger generations feel underrepresented by traditional political forces, leading them to back more extreme alternatives. Central and Eastern Europe, too, is showing signs of growing Euroscepticism as voter turnout drops and enthusiasm for the EU cools.

Since the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, xenophobic narratives across Europe have surged, mainly targeting people of colour and Muslims. Many Muslims feel increasingly alienated by their governments’ overt support for Israel, the report highlights. This sense of alienation is made worse by the rise of anti-immigration and far-right discourse, which has only intensified in the wake of these events.

So what should be done? Zerka says that pro-European leaders should not “resist the temptation of staying quiet on … migration and diversity for short-term electoral gain” and urges them to call out xenophobia and explain to voters that certain attitudes may undermine social peace.