Survey: How West Europeans face the migrant crisis?

The survey examines the public opinion in seven West European Member States and reveals that Europe is […]

Policy Brief

28/10/2015

The survey examines the public opinion in seven West European Member States and reveals that Europe is not only divided between East and West, North & South but also among Western Countries.

Indeed, French, German, British, Dutch, Spanish, Italians and Danish are not sharing the same attitudes toward the migrant flows and the economic capacity for their own country to welcome them.

The survey has been conducted for the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and its French partner Jean Jaurès Foundation by Ifop polling Institute in seven Member States: France, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark in September 2015, among a sample of 1000 to 1100 people per country, aged 18 and over.

Check the results and read the analyses

Longer term solutions and prospects?

·       Assisting with the development of the countries of departure is what most people in EU countries agree to be the most effective action to resolve the refugee crisis

·       An overwhelming majority of Europeans want the migrants to return to their own countries in a few months or years

·       A large majority of Europeans believe that arrivals of migrants will continue at this rate for one or two years, or even longer

Support for the acceptance of migrants: a divided Western Europe

·       The areas most affected by the influx of migrants do not show any more resistance than the rest of the country

·       An indicator of the left/right divide throughout Europe

·       A concept generally more widespread among practising Catholics and Protestants

·       Consensus on the pull factor risk, very widespread concern about the potential terrorist threat, however a large majority of European consider it to be our duty to accept refugees

A vast majority consider that the integration capacity for the migrant population has already been reached

·       Except for Germany: strong doubts about countries’ financial capacity to accept migrants and about the economic benefits

·       In virtually all countries it is the economic capacity to deal with accepting migrants and the society’s ability to integrate new foreigners that have most influence in shaping opinions on the willingness to accept migrants

·       In almost all countries, the migrants’ perceived level of qualification is closely correlated with the willingness to accept them

In five out of seven countries, a clear majority thinks that migrants are primarily asylum seekers

·       The idea of migrants being economic migrants and not asylum seekers is consistently more common among supporters of national populist groups

·       The perception of the flows of asylum seekers is fairly compatible with the volumes objectively recorded in each country

Longer term solutions and perspectives

·       Helping development in the countries of departure is the action most people in EU countries agree upon to resolve the refugee crisis

·       An overwhelming majority of Europeans want the migrants to return to their own countries in a few months or years

·       A large majority of Europeans believe that arrivals of migrants will continue at this rate for one or two years, or even longer

Find all related publications
Publications
23/06/2025

Europe’s strategic role in global development

A call for ambition and reform
22/04/2025

Trade, trust, and transition: Shaping the next transatlantic chapter

Essays series by FEPS and Center for American Progress (CAP)
24/03/2025

Europe and the war in Ukraine

From Russian aggression to a new Eastern policy
06/03/2025

European defence for security and peace

Ensuring the security and well-being of its citizens is at the core of the European […]
Find all related Progressive Post
Progressive Post
15/07/2025

EU-China summit: a new start is needed

In 2025, the European Union and the People’s Republic of China mark the 50th anniversary […]
26/06/2025

BRICS 2025: Brazil’s balancing act

Brazil will host the BRICS+ summit in July this year, marking 16 years since the […]
26/06/2025

Engaging the BRICS: a view from the Global South

The relationship between the Global South and the BRICS is often viewed as complementary, rooted […]
Find all related events
Events
Upcoming
28 - 29/11/2025
Copenhagen, Denmark

Call to Europe Denmark 2025

Call to Europe, held bi-annually in the country hosting the presidency of the Council of […]
Past
30/06/2025
Sevilla, Spain

New strategic partnerships for development: Developing countries and the EU

UN official side event
30/06/2025
Sevilla, Spain

Financing our future: Crafting a progressive vision for the future of financing for development

(Text in Spanish below) FEPS, in collaboration with Socialist International, PSOE Andalucía (Spain), Fundación Avanza […]
Find all related news
News
13/03/2025

Europe’s defence strategy must be peace-oriented

FEPS Position Paper on European defence
03/12/2024

FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues at the 2024 Understanding China Conference

FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues participated in the 2024 Understanding China Conference, “Carry through the […]
15/11/2024

Ahead of G20, FEPS president at the T20 and C20 Summit 2024

FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues actively participated in the T20 and C20 Summits 2024, held […]
07/11/2024

US election results

Reaction by FEPS Secretary General
Find all related in the media
In the media

Tévedés azt hinni, hogy Trump után visszatérhetünk a régi kerékvágásba

by telex 24/04/2025
“It’s a mistake to think we can go back to the old normal after Trump”. Interview with FEPS Secretary General László Andor in Telex (HU), where he discusses the global trade tensions triggered by Trump-era tariffs, the shifting US-China dynamic, and the need for the EU to develop a new strategic approach in a permanently changed world order.

СТРАТЕГИЯТА ЗА ОТБРАНА НА ЕВРОПА ТРЯБВА ДА БЪДЕ ОРИЕНТИРАНА КЪМ МИРА

by Novi Vremena 27/03/2025
In the article "Europe’s defence strategy must be peace-oriented", the Bulgarian media Novi Vremena highlights FEPS position on European defence strategy presented by László Andor, David Rinaldi and Beatriz Abellán.

FEPS President on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?’

by Euronews 16/03/2024
FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues discusses NATO expansions and elections in Russia and Portugal on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?‘

What are Hungary’s conditions for lifting its Ukraine Facility veto?

by Euractiv 12/01/2024
In this episode, Evi Kiorri asks Andriy Korniychuk, policy analyst and expert on Ukraine matters at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies: what are Viktor Orbán's conditions, and why is Hungary considering changing its position?