Handouts to Gypsies translate directly into votes for extreme nationalist parties. Leadership is strong at the family and clan level but weak, divided and often corrupt at the political level. Each king represents a single clan, which is probably feuding with several others. Politically, Gypsies are worse off even than ghetto blacks in America. Although drugs and violence are not endemic in their settlements, they have almost no middle-class to aspire to and no political consciousness.
Gypsies remain largely removed from political life.
When they do, they are as likely to be swayed by the cash handouts of populist parties as to support an ethnic-Gypsy party. There are signs, particularly in urban, less traditional communities, that this is changing. But the process is slow. Whenever the local press praises an elected Gypsy leader he is usually brought down, either for drink or general incompetence. Besides, Gypsy political parties rarely agree among themselves.