Pulling up the ladder
Immigrants increasingly back the parties that would have kept them out. The latest arrivals, it seems, are keenest to pull up the ladder. Backed by the hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion (pictured above) topped the first round of Romania’s re-run presidential election in May 2025, taking 40.96 per cent of […] Pulling up the ladder was originally published on…
Immigrants are increasingly supporting political parties that oppose their entry. Recent elections in Romania revealed this trend, with President George Simion receiving overwhelming support from Romanians living abroad. Simion, backed by the hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians, secured 40.96% of the vote in the first round of Romania's re-run presidential election in May 2025.
The diaspora, particularly in Spain and Italy, backed him with around 73% of their votes. However, Simion did not win the presidency, losing to Nicușor Dan in the run-off. The diaspora continued to support Simion, with 55% of Romanians in the West voting for him. Romania has been accommodating over 200,000 non-EU workers since 2024, but this has led to increased support for far-right parties that promise to restrict immigration.
Political scientists and studies suggest that diaspora voting patterns are primarily a protest against mainstream parties blamed for pushing them out. In the UK, Brexit was used to argue against unqualified migrants, while in the US, Donald Trump gained support from long-settled Latinos who resented new arrivals. The phenomenon of immigrants pulling up the ladder, supporting parties that limit their entry, appears to be a common trend observed globally.
Written by urgent.news from Emerging Europe's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
