A recent survey across western Europe has revealed widespread dissatisfaction with immigration levels over the past decade, with many citizens feeling that their governments have mismanaged the issue, and the majority viewing the impact of immigration negatively.
According to the YouGov poll, majorities in each of the seven countries surveyed perceived immigration as excessively high, with the highest sentiments expressed in Germany (81%) and Spain (80%).
This sentiment was slightly less in Sweden (73%), the UK and Italy (both 71%), and France (69%), with Denmark notably lower at 55%.
The predominant view in all surveyed nations was that immigration has been “much too high” in the last decade, with 61% of Germans, 54% of Spaniards, and 50% of Britons endorsing this stance.
In terms of immigration’s impact, Italians (56%) and Germans (55%) were the most likely to perceive it as detrimental.
Conversely, in the UK, opinions were more divided: 42% saw immigration as negative, 30% as both positive and negative, and 21% primarily as beneficial—the most positive rating among the surveyed countries.
The increasing influence of Europe’s far-right parties has elevated immigration as a key political issue, influencing even mainstream conservative groups to adopt tougher stances.
Immigration now ranks as one of the top concerns across the continent, often placing among the top four issues in every country polled.
In Germany, 42% of respondents identified immigration as their principal worry, closely followed by economic concerns. In the UK and France, immigration was considered the second most critical issue after economic challenges, and in Spain, it followed housing concerns.
Furthermore, majorities in all seven nations criticized their governments’ handling of immigration, with the harshest assessments in Germany (83%) and France (80%), and a slightly less severe judgment in the UK at 72%.
The survey underscores a significant challenge for European governments, facing not only the complexities of managing immigration but also the growing public and political pressure for stricter controls.
