Europe Immigration News

The EU's border agency Frontex says that a record number of asylum seekers have entered the EU by sea and on foot in 2014. So far, Frontex estimates the total at about 60,000.

The migrants have travelled via eight main migration routes, the most popular being the Central Mediterranean route which brings migrants by boat from North Africa to the Italian island of Lampadusa.

In the recent European parliamentary elections, voters throughout the EU voted against the status quo. Large numbers of voters supported fringe parties with anti-establishment, anti-EU policies. Many backed right-wing anti-immigrant parties.

Throughout Europe, anti-EU parties have made significant gains. In northern and eastern Europe, these fringe parties have generally been on the right, whereas in several southern EU countries, left wing parties did well.

Pollsters are predicting that the EU elections will prove difficult for ruling parties throughout the European Union. Polls show that immigration is one subject that is driving voters to vote for fringe parties on the right and left.

The European elections will be held throughout the EU on 22nd May. There are 751 seats being contested. Pollsters expect the votes for mainstream political parties to fall dramatically. Polls show that fringe parties, often with anti-immigration policies, are likely to do well.

A former Romanian Prime Minister, Petre Roman, has told journalists in China 'We welcome immigrants from China'. Mr Roman said that there are already around 40,000 Chinese people living in Romania and said that they are 'well accepted' in Romanian society.

Mr Roman travelled with other European politicians as part of the Club of Madrid, a group of former democratic leaders. They were invited by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

A referendum held in Switzerland has narrowly backed the introduction of tighter immigration controls. 50.3% of those who voted supported the introduction of the controls and, according to the Swiss system of direct democracy where referendums are binding, the controls must now be introduced.

Malta's Individual Investor Program, which would allow wealthy people from outside the European Union to buy Maltese citizenship, has been postponed 'indefinitely' amid controversy and political opposition.

The Maltese government and opposition will now 'discuss amendments' to the programme according to the UK's Law Society Gazette, the journal of the solicitor's regulatory authority The Law Society.