But before he championed anti-Muslim sentiment, Kotleba's political success was in part anchored in the demonizing of another group of people: the Roma. Those attitudes have dovetailed with growing anti-Muslim sentiment. Recent polls in different parts of Europe have found that huge proportions of people hold unfavorable views of the Roma. "It is highly likely that Romaphobe people are also Islamophobes, but it is a different type of sentiment," Mudde says. "The focus of resentment toward asylums seekers, Muslims as well as Sinti and Roma, increased," the study's authors said.

Source: Washington Post June 22, 2016 15:17 UTC