Dutch voters go to the polls next week after a loud and divisive campaign that focused on immigration, the first of a series of European elections this year that could propel populist forces into power. Geert Wilders, the virulently anti-immigrant leader of the Netherlands’ Party of Freedom, or P.V.V., has led the charge on the immigration debate, drawing in parties on the mainstream right.

Ahead of the vote, we asked Dutch readers to tell us how immigration has affected their lives and shaped their political beliefs. Over 2,300 people from across the Netherlands responded, reflecting a wide spectrum of backgrounds and political views. There were colorful examples of a welcoming society, expressions of frustration and fear, and passionate pleas for and against migration. Many others said they were frazzled and disillusioned by the political debate.

‘A Broader View of the World’

Khalid Nabil, 28, is a translator who lives in the northern town of Heerhugowaard. He is a third-generation descendant of immigrants in the 1960s.

My hope is that one day immigrants are as welcome as they were in the ’60s, ’70s when they were needed. And that the problems, which I am not ignoring, are not looked upon with an eye of fear and segregation, but with sincere interest in the cause of the issues. My concerns are that the once so tolerant Netherlands will turn into a frightened right-wing country that is beyond recognition.