Spain’s Voluntary Return Plan

Imagine starting your life in a new country: new job, friends, culture and landscape. Would you accept a lump sum to uproot your new life and return to your native country, unable to return for three years? Spanish immigrants are asking themselves this very question, as the 2008 Voluntary Return Plan that offers those options is evaluated to help solve the immigration issue.

The plan is aimed toward legal immigrants who have lost their jobs. These immigrants who chose to participate in the plan will receive a lump sum of 40% of their unemployment payouts before they leave Spain and 60% once they return to their native country. They are not allowed to return to Spain for three years. This weighs out to be about $40,000 total.

When the plan was first put into effect, the government estimated about 1 million immigrants would accept the proposition. Nearly three years later, that is not so. Only 17,000 migrants from the U.S., Africa and Eastern Europe have decided to return home and accept the  money.

TIME magazine comments on the disappointing results of the plan: “Insufficient funding, along with inadequate promotion and explanation, are some of the reasons that Carlos Giménez, Director of the Institute for Migration, Ethnicity and Social Development at Madrid’s Autonomous University, believes the Return Plan hasn’t had more adherents. But the real problem, he suggests, is the provision that requires departing migrants to surrender their residency permits, and agree not to return to Spain for at least three years. ‘You’re asking people to give up something they’ve worked hard to earn,’ he says. ‘I understand why the government is concerned about … a scenario where someone takes the money, and turns around and comes back. But there are things they can and should do to protect against that, while still protecting people’s juridical status.'”

Spain’s economy is still trying to recover from the recession that began in 2008 and has a 20% unemployment rate, the highest in Europe. The 30% unemployment rate among migrants should lend more success to the plan, yet it still hasn’t caught on as expected. There has been some limited success, however. For the first time in ten years, the immigration rate has declined and immigrants are intrigued and asking about the plan.

The government is still grasping at straws to solve the unemployment problem and alleviate issues related to illegal immigrants, but the Voluntary Return Plan is not the ultimate answer.

Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s recent decline for a third term may help as a new prime minister will take the burden on his/her shoulders. In the meantime, immigrant-related violence, issues of cultural dilution and unemployment remain grave issues for Spain.

Immigration and the burqa

Growing up in America where rights to freedom of expression and equality are instilled since birth, the concept of clothing that discourages celebrating my body and my style, is completely foreign.

Wearing a burqa, an outer garment used to cover women’s bodies in public places, is still a common part of Muslim culture. Sometimes these garments are paired with a hijab that covers their heads, and a niqab that covers their eyes, stripping them of all individuality and personal image.

This is relevant to Spanish culture as immigration from Muslim countries to Spain continues to soar. According to an article on Hudson-NY.org, “Spain currently has a Muslim population of slightly over 1 million, or about 2 percent of Spain’s total population. Spain has experienced a whopping ten-fold increase in the number of Muslim immigrants in just 20 years. The debate comes after the Spanish Senate, on June 23 [2010], voted 131 to 129 to “use all options under our legal system and to proceed with rules to prohibit the public use of the ‘burqa’ and the ‘niqab’ to ensure equality, freedom and security.”

There have been repeated accounts of discrimination and violence toward women in Spain dressed in traditional Muslim garb. This ban aims to ensure freedom, equality and security for these women.

The influx of Muslim immigrants also threatens to dilute Spanish culture as the Pew survey, sponsored by the Spanish government, reveals that only 46% of Muslim immigrants are fluent in Spanish. The survey also displayed a want for Muslim immigrants to maintain their culture and distinguish themselves from the larger Spanish society. They show no interest in assimilating to the Spanish customs or way of life.

“Almost 80 percent of the Spanish public sees Muslims as having a strong Islamic identity. Among those in the Spanish general public who see Islamic identity on the rise, 82 percent say it is a bad thing. Around 65 percent of Spaniards are somewhat or very concerned about rising Islamic extremism in their country,” the Pew Survey also reveals.

There are still questionable factors involved in this ban being approved based on the Spanish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. While the Muslim community has a right to maintain their practices and traditional dress, but when women are facing discrimination and even physical abuse, the burqa seems to be causing more harm than good.

Quickie Blog Reviews

Finding blogs dedicated to immigration in Barcelona, Spain is a difficult task. There are a myriad of blogs covering topics on food, music, art and culture in Spain so I settled for reviewing blogs that cover the economy and politics which skim the subject of immigration. As my last post addressed, immigration is a serious issue that taxes the Spanish economy and environment.

Here is a review of five blogs that are Spain- and Barcelona-related.

Madrid Man: http://madridman.com/blog-madrid/

The mission of Madrid Man is to cover the bases on basic life in Madrid from an American standpoint. Several famous buildings and sights are featured and described at great detail. Madrid Man does address immigration briefly in regard to religion. The influx of  immigrants to the area brings an increased Roman Catholic element to Spain. Otherwise the blog has many pictures and insightful observations of the country. However, links for travel sites and apartment discounts that litter the site lead me to believe it has somewhat of an agenda.

News from Spain: http://www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2004/08/new-spanish-immigration-laws.htm

The News from Spain blog has a simple layout and concise dialogue. It aims to keep its readers informed on current events and happenings. It covers all topics from social issues to art to politics. A post that caught my eye went into detail on new immigration laws in the country in lay terms so that someone relatively unfamiliar with the issue can understand. Reader interactivity is high. After posts are published readers often comment quickly and have interesting comments on what was written.

Culture Spain: http://www.culturespain.com/culture-of-spain/culture-spain-–-spain-immigration

This blog is especially good at incorporating reader interactivity through social media. There are several links on the right toolbar for Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, RSS feeds, Blogger and tags. The posts are long enough that a reader stays engaged, but not so long that they lose the casual Internet surfers. The writing is rather elementary with exclamation points and simple sentences. However, the links Culture Spain offers to related articles enables readers to delve deeper into an issue, like immigration, if they please. It does an adequate job of incorporating pictures of decent quality  with simple posts.

Iberia Culture: http://iberianature.com/barcelona/category/social-issues-in-barcelona/immigration-in-barcelona/

While primarily a commentary on the natural wonders of Spain, Iberia Culture also addresses political and economic issues in Barcelona. The writing is witty and interesting, as well as well-researched. The graphics are pleasing and the layout is simple, no advertising to detract from the posts or photos. A few of their posts are only a sentence or two long, and it is updated frequently, making it more likely that loyal readers will check in often. There is no outlet for reader comments, however, which is a missed opportunity. All around, the information is unique and the layout is simple, making Iberia culture the most pleasing of the blogs related to social issues in Spain.

Standing in a Spanish Doorway: http://bretthetherington.blogspot.com/

Culture is the main focus of this blog. It seems to feature random thoughts of the publisher related to Spain and its culture.  Most of the posts are short, but sufficiently covers the topics addressed. The links and tags really help organize topics on the site and allow the readers to further research a subject. The site is lacking in photographs which would usually be a way to attract readers, rather than pure type. User interactivity could also be improved. Most of the posts I read had no user comments. The simple layout and short, insightful posts are positive features, though.

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