Consequences of the Swiss Vote 11.02.2014

Описание: Janis Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies filmed for Al Jazeera 10.02.2014

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As Switzerland has voted yes to capping immigration to the country, Janis Emmanoulidis, Director of Studies, explains the consequences on Europe regarding populism:

"Well first of all, the entire process with Switzerland will take a long time - so in view of the European Parliament elections this is obviously a political issue but the concrete substance will take much longer.

But we are already seeing some member states, for example in Germany, who have some right wing parties, which are taking up the argument, arguing that 'if the Swiss get to use quotas we also want to'.

This will fundamentally undermine EU single market, something no government will want to move in the direction to, which means the reaction of governments towards Switzerland, if they really ask for such an exemption, that reaction will be rather harsh because they do not want to foster the voices within their Member States saying that we should go in that direction with respect to other EU Member States and Europe in general.

There is a danger that populist forces will use this as an argument, but governments will be eager to undermine that argument."