France, Europe, and Immigration

Worries about terrorism continue to distort views of migration

A majority of the respondents connect migration with an increased risk of terror attacks. Between 79% (France) and 90% (Great Britain) of the respondents agreed with the statement, “Among the many migrants who come to Europe, there are also potential terrorists.” Consequently, most of them are in favor of reinstating border controls in the EU and thus doing away with the Schengen Agreement. Only Polish respondents preferred to keep the Agreement intact.

In France, pollsters noted an exceptionally critical attitude toward immigrants. The images people held of new and already-settled immigrants were often driven by fear, which is a major obstacle in the way of their willingness to take in more migrants. Accordingly, the first, spontaneously uttered words of French respondents to the survey usually bore negative connotations. The most frequently mentioned terms were: “insecurity/criminality,” “problem,” and “misery.”

It has become clear that this negative attitude is directed not just at newly-arrived refugees, but is based on the perception of shortcomings in previous efforts to integrate migrants. Only 29% of respondents in France believe that earlier migrants are well-integrated. On this question older people are more critical than younger ones—only 23% of respondents over 65 think that people with a migratory background are well-integrated, versus 34% of respondents under the age of 35. Likewise, blue collar workers and low-level white collar employees take a more hardline view of previous integration efforts than do better-off salaried employees (24% to 36%). Not surprisingly, the supporters of Fillon and Le Pen (18%) take a more negative position than do those who back Macron (41%) and Mélonchon (43%).