Migration Governance and Perceptions of Public Attitudes in Sicily

This chapter focuses on Sicily, a region characterised by an inefficient reception system during the ‘asylum crisis’ but low levels of political contestation of asylum-seekers’ reception. It shows that Sicilian governance actors interpreted asylum-seeking migration as having first and foremost consequences on public opinion and perceived residents as welcoming towards migrants, despite available surveys suggesting that Sicilians’ attitudes to migration are very negative. These perceptions are grounded on deeply rooted narratives on Sicilians’ tolerance and are reinforced by several focusing events and pro-refugee mobilisations of a very vibrant civil society. Key features of the regional governance network—its decentralisation and low density—contribute to explaining the inefficient asylum management within the region.