Eric Gujer on the mistakes of the right-wing populists

Islamophobia is on the rise in Europe but the agitators are making grave mistakes, writes columnist Eric Gujer in the conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung: "Among the delusions of Geert Wilders and other populists is the belief that the unloved Muslims can be forced to leave. This is an illusion and not even desirable from a demographic point of view. On the contrary, the ageing societies of Europe need immigration if they want to maintain their living standards. The Muslim immigrants have found their place in Europe, and Islam along with them. This simple observation, however, doesn't tell us anything about to what extent Islam can be compatible with the values of European enlightenment. This can and should be the subject of discussion. But the capacity for differentiation and rational discourse must be among the minimal standards for a democracy. Those who denounce these minimal requirements as elitist and recommend listening to the people and their moods instead make it impossible to conduct sensible politics."

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