Germans fear migration more than climate change, study finds – DW – 05/08/2024
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Europeans — especially Germans — are increasingly keen on curbing immigration and are less focused on climate change, according to a study by a Danish-based think tank.

Europeans — especially Germans — are increasingly keen on curbing immigration and are less focused on climate change, according to a study by a Danish-based think tank.

Europe has seen a sharp rise in the share of people who say that reducing immigration should be a top government priority, according to a study published Wednesday. Germany is topping the list.

At the same time, there was less desire to prioritize fighting climate change in the same countries, according to the survey commissioned by the Denmark-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation think tank.

Nearly half of German respondents put focus on migration

Since 2022, an increasing number of Europeans say their government should prioritize “reducing immigration,” rising from just under 20% to a quarter.

Meanwhile, concern about climate change was on the slide across the continent.

“In 2024, for the first time, reducing immigration is a greater priority for most Europeans than fighting climate change,” the report said.

“Nowhere is this reversal more striking than in Germany, which now leads the world with the highest share of people who want their government to focus on reducing immigration — topping all other priorities — and now nearly twice as high as fighting climate change,” the report read.

  • maegul (he/they)English
    51·
    6 months ago

    Anyone have an understanding of how much migration Germany has lately? Is this all still a hang over from the Syrian refugee intake under Merkel? Is Germany a favoured destination generally within Europe? Or are Germans just “sensitive” about darker coloured people (which would be a bit odd given the Turkish migration that occurred after the war, unless that never went well either)?

    • PlexSheep@infosec.pubEnglish
      3·
      6 months ago

      I’m a German and I don’t really notice much of it. The region I’m in already has quite a lot of people that aren’t “traditionally German” and behave differently and speak languages other than German in public, it can be a little weird or unsettling sometimes, but many of them have good reasons sto stay here and immigration benefits society in the end I believe, also what is normal anyways. Maybe I just don’t worry about it as many others in our nation apperently do?

      • maegul (he/they)English
        3·
        6 months ago

        Maybe I just don’t worry about it as many others in our nation apperently do?

        Well the polls would suggest that.

        it can be a little weird or unsettling sometimes

        I find this striking. Some places just aren’t used to major migration events, and from this it seems to be true for Germany and even you however accepting you are. And not to be an immigration absolutist about it, but Europe might benefit from realising how common migration is elsewhere in the world.

    • mryessir@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      21·
      6 months ago

      In some districts immigration rate is at 60%.

      One has to experience certain interactions and opinions on the streets. I know we need migration and there has been plenty of people perfectly assimilating but we are struggling with the integration part currently.

      I sincerly think most of the issues I observe are due to German/European Rap Music which is nowadays mainstream and way out of line. Teenagers across the board adapt arabic phrases from said music and butchering the language. Let alone adapt the text literally.

      Teachers and people working at the kindergarten I know of describe the migration rate at almost 90%. And the majority of parents do not show willingness to educate+integrate, they say. But I don’t know of any numbers!!