Do far-right mayors increase the probability of hate crimes? Evidence from Italy

Recently, the Italian media has been talking about "a racist emergency" in the country, using alarmist tones that have been scale down by the leader of the League - a far-right, anti-immigrant party - Matteo Salvini. Who is right? Is there a racist emergency in Italy? And, more broadly, what are the factors that make hate-crimes more likely to occur? Anecdotal evidence shows that members of anti-immigrant parties, with their xenophobic rhetoric and behaviours, can spread a feeling of hatred towards foreigners.

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