IDEES, revista de temes contemporanis

Valencia: Disturbing symptoms

Immigration has shot up in recent years. Erratic policies by the Valencian government and dispersion in the case of the town councils are detected. A strong informal economy makes us think that the social conflicts are contained and could explode in the future.

The economic growth of the Land of Valencia has led foreign immigration to record levels, 5 points above the Spanish average. With 14.90% foreign population, achieved in very few years, it can be said that migratory confusion is being witnessed, marked by crisis, the occupational accident rate, extreme precariousness, pockets of poverty, and public education at an all-time low. Immigration powers are exercised in a very unequal manner depending on the administrations responsible in each territory. The Valencian government does not have powers in access or naturalization policies, but does in the field of integration and assistance. Despite this, it tends to invest few resources or even to ignore obvious problems. With an informal economy of around 35% and with a situation which receives the whole weight of globalization, the rejection of the Chinese community because of the imports of products manufactured at low cost and which compete directly with the own production, to give an example, are just warnings which alert us to the conflicts which could break out in a more general manner.