Rise of Far-Right 'Idiots' May Hit Aid and Refugees, Say Laureates, Leaders Nita Bhalla - Thomson Reuters Foundation
go to original December 21, 2016

The rise of far-right politics across the world may hit already scant foreign aid, increase tensions between communities and countries, and lead to more people fleeing conflict, Nobel laureates, leaders and experts warned.

Populist parties and nationalist politicians across Europe and the United States are gaining popularity amid a migrant crisis and sluggish global economic growth.

Experts say this is not only fuelling xenophobia and hate crimes against minorities, it could lead to more violence and more migrants and refugees seeking shelter in the West.

"I am certainly very concerned. I think the anti-immigrant feeling is going to grow. It's pretty potent politics and it's very dangerous," Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The economist was speaking earlier this month on the sidelines of a child rights conference in India attended by a host of international figures.



...Alarming liberals the most was last month's election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president. The billionaire businessman has previously called for a ban on Muslims, a wall to be built along the U.S.-Mexico border and increased militarization.

Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel peace laureate and former president of East Timor, said the surge in populism was based on xenophobic lies fed by politicians and far-right media groups.

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