Public jobs are assigned by ethnic quotas, and require proficiency in both Italian and German, with the effect of protecting the local labor market from immigration. Notwithstanding this imperfect cohabitation, starting in the 1980’s there has been an increased call, especially amonst the youth, of superceding ethnic divisons. One famous advocate of this novel movement was Alexander Langer (1946–1995), MEP for the Greens group.

Furthermore, the increased permeability of European borders (e.g., with Austria) following the Schengen Treaty has further undermined the rationale of ethnic separation and of the special autonomy of the region. As a result, the future of the ethnic policies that served the region during the past 40 years is not clear.