Although the member States of the Council of Europe already have legal remedies for countering xenophobia and racist speech, the Assembly feels that a real strategy is needed for combating xenophobia, especially during election campaigns.

Following the proposals by the rapporteur (Daphné Dumery, Belgium, NR) the parliamentarians called on political leaders to assume their responsibilities during debates on migration issues and “to combat xenophobic rhetoric and ideology”.

The electoral commissions should be able to sanction political leaders if they behave inappropriately before or during elections and local and regional authorities should work more closely with migrant communities in order to improve mutual understanding.