Right‐Wing Extremism and the Well‐Being of Immigrants

Abstract

SummaryThis study analyzes the effects of right‐wing extremism on the well‐being of immigrants based on data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1984 to 2006 merged with state‐level information on election outcomes. The results show that the life satisfaction of immigrants is significantly reduced if right‐wing extremism in the native‐born population increases. Moreover, the life satisfaction of highly educated immigrants is affected more strongly than that of low‐skilled immigrants. This supports the view that policies aimed at making immigration more attractive to the high‐skilled have to include measures that reduce xenophobic attitudes in the native‐born population.