The Most Persecuted Minority in Europe: An Assessment of Roma Rights in Europe

The Roma represent the largest trans-national minority group in Europe, and yet they are the most vulnerable ethnic group in the continent. Historically, the Roma have been one of the most persecuted ethnic groups, and today they still face considerable obstacles barring their way to the full enjoyment of basic human rights, remaining far behind others in terms of political representation and the protection of socio-economic entitlements.

This report aims to provide an analysis of the main issues surrounding the social and political exclusion of the Roma population, highlighting how European States fail to protect such groups by not granting them the same protection that is generally afforded to other minorities.

This report is organised into several sections, beginning with an outline of the definition of Roma which will then be followed by an historical overview of Roma persecution in Europe, having as a starting point the first Roma migration from the Indian subcontinent. Following this, Domenico Carolei investigates four core issues: political discrimination, lack of political representation, statelessness and urban marginalization. Finally, he make a series of recommendations to render institutional actors more sensitive to the Roma rights.

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