Pegida Goes Europe: Fear Is the Key

{
  "authors": [
    "Judy Dempsey"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Carnegie Europe"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Europe",
  "programAffiliation": "EP",
  "programs": [
    "Europe"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Europe",
    "Western Europe",
    "Germany",
    "Iran"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "EU",
    "Security"
  ]
}

In The Media

Carnegie Europe

Pegida Goes Europe: Fear Is the Key

The Pegida movement has awoken Germany, but Islamophobia is a Europe-wide phenomenon whose roots lie in the alienation of citizens from politics.

By Judy Dempsey

Published on Jan 22, 2015

Source: Deutsche Welle

Speaking to Deutsche Welle’s Quadriga, Judy Dempsey argued that the Pegida movement of “Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West” has awoken German society.

“The public space is changing in Germany,” warned Judy Dempsey. “Germany is not unique. . . . There is the fear of the other, the fear of the foreigner. . . . This is a European phenomenon.” In fact, Germany is only the latest country in Europe to tap into the surrounding atmosphere of Islamophobia.

As for the underlying causes of this surge, Dempsey explained that one of the problems is that “with the bureaucratization of politics and globalization, the feeling of identity between politicians and citizens is widening.” The mainstream political parties “haven’t adapted to the postmodernization of Europe, to globalization, and to [the need to] adapt policies and politics to society and its citizens.” The question of alienation between the state, political parties, and society is one of Europe’s biggest problems today.

This broadcast was originally aired on Deutsche Welle.

About the Author

Judy Dempsey

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe

Dempsey is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie Europe

Recent Work

Commentary
Europe Needs to Hear What America is Saying
- Judy Dempsey
Commentary
Babiš’s Victory in Czechia Is Not a Turning Point for European Populists
- Judy Dempsey

EU Security Europe Western Europe Germany Iran

Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie India

Commentary
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions and Tariffs on India’s Russian Oil Imports
This piece examines India’s response to U.S. sanctions and tariffs, specifically assessing the immediate market consequences, such as alterations in import costs, and the broader strategic implications for India’s energy security and foreign policy orientation.
Vrinda Sahai
Article
Military Lessons from Operation Sindoor
The India-Pakistan conflict that played out between May 6 and May 10, 2025, offers several military lessons. This article presents key takeaways from Operation Sindoor and breaks down how India’s preparations shaped the outcome and what more is needed to strengthen future readiness.
Dinakar Peri
Book
India and the Sovereignty Principle: The Disaggregation Imperative
This book offers a comprehensive analysis of India's evolving relationship with sovereignty in a complex global order. Moving beyond conventional narratives, it examines how the sovereignty principle shapes India's behavior across four critical domains—from traditional military power to contemporary data governance.
Rudra Chaudhuri, Nabarun Roy
Article
Hidden Tides: IUU Fishing and Regional Security Dynamics for India
This article examines the scale and impact of Chinese IUU fishing operations globally and identifies the nature of the challenge posed by IUU fishing in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It also investigates why existing maritime law and international frameworks have struggled to address this growing threat.
Ajay Kumar, Charukeshi Bhatt
Book
Violence and Development Along the India-Pakistan Border in Jammu and Kashmir
This book examines the impact of cross-border violence on communities living along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Deep Pal, Surya Valliappan Krishna, Saheb Singh Chadha

More Work from Carnegie India

Commentary

The Impact of U.S. Sanctions and Tariffs on India’s Russian Oil Imports

This piece examines India’s response to U.S. sanctions and tariffs, specifically assessing the immediate market consequences, such as alterations in import costs, and the broader strategic implications for India’s energy security and foreign policy orientation.

Vrinda Sahai

Article

Military Lessons from Operation Sindoor

The India-Pakistan conflict that played out between May 6 and May 10, 2025, offers several military lessons. This article presents key takeaways from Operation Sindoor and breaks down how India’s preparations shaped the outcome and what more is needed to strengthen future readiness.

Dinakar Peri

Book

India and the Sovereignty Principle: The Disaggregation Imperative

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of India's evolving relationship with sovereignty in a complex global order. Moving beyond conventional narratives, it examines how the sovereignty principle shapes India's behavior across four critical domains—from traditional military power to contemporary data governance.

Rudra Chaudhuri, Nabarun Roy

Article

Hidden Tides: IUU Fishing and Regional Security Dynamics for India

This article examines the scale and impact of Chinese IUU fishing operations globally and identifies the nature of the challenge posed by IUU fishing in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It also investigates why existing maritime law and international frameworks have struggled to address this growing threat.

Ajay Kumar, Charukeshi Bhatt

Book

Violence and Development Along the India-Pakistan Border in Jammu and Kashmir

This book examines the impact of cross-border violence on communities living along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Deep Pal, Surya Valliappan Krishna, Saheb Singh Chadha