Orbán's shadow: europe confronts a systemic racism masked by 'integration'

For years, Viktor Orbán skillfully manufactured a false narrative – that racism in the EU was a fringe problem, a matter of isolated incidents. But the uncomfortable truth is far more insidious: racial bias is deeply woven into the fabric of European laws, economic systems, and policing practices, shaping opportunities and perpetuating inequality.

A calculated deception

Orbán’s rhetoric, echoing Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ base, offered European counterparts a convenient denial. However, algorithmic errors in the Netherlands, disproportionately targeting ethnic minority families with fraud accusations and leading to devastating consequences like debt and eviction, expose the rot beneath the surface. These aren't isolated acts of prejudice; they represent a systemic problem, a chilling demonstration of racial profiling in action.

From colonial roots to contemporary fears

The current anxieties surrounding migration – the “replacement” narrative fueled by figures like German Chancellor Merz and Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen – aren’t born in a vacuum. They stem directly from the enduring legacy of European colonialism and the trade in enslaved people, evidenced by the disparate treatment of Black and Brown refugees compared to Ukrainian migrants. The fear of demographic shifts is a manufactured one, a chilling echo of historical justifications for oppression.

Technocratic justifications, moral panic

Ursula von der Leyen’s policies, framed in technocratic terms of “risk management” and “burden sharing,” have normalized deportation. Underlying this is a persistent moral panic, borrowing heavily from the ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory. This manifests in EU efforts to fortify borders and externalize control through deals with countries like Tunisia and Libya – a desperate attempt to stem the tide of migration, justified by claims of ‘social cohesion’ and ‘European values’.

Framing diversity as a threat

The EU's manipulation of language – emphasizing ‘integration’ and highlighting the perceived threat of ‘non-Western’ migration or ‘Muslims’ – actively reinforces divisive narratives. This deliberate framing obscures the deeply prejudiced attitudes at play, distorting the reality of European society. Hadja Lahbib, a commissioner herself of Algerian migrant heritage, recently highlighted how racism “hides in habits, in assumptions, in systems we no longer question.”

Beyond tokenism and empty statements

Diversity training, representation initiatives, and well-meaning pronouncements are simply insufficient. They address symptoms, not the root cause. Without confronting Europe’s colonial past – embedding it within our education and cultural institutions – we risk repeating the same mistakes and failing to safeguard liberal democracy against the dangerous impulses of individuals like Orbán and Trump.

A reckoning is necessary

Even without Orbán’s explicit endorsement, EU leaders will continue to perpetuate racial hierarchies through border controls, policing, and immigration policies. Shada Islam’s observation – that these actions won’t foster an anti-racist Europe or improve relations with Africa – underscores the urgent need for systemic change. The challenge is not merely to acknowledge the past, but to actively dismantle the structures of inequality that continue to shape our present.