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Harris Interactive study for FRANCE 24 and the International Herald Tribune
A majority of Europeans and Americans support the establishment of entry quotas to control the flow of migrants, according to a Harris Interactive study for FRANCE 24 and the International Herald Tribune.
The study was prepared for FRANCE 24’s flagship “Talk de Paris” show and for the International Herald Tribune and the international edition of the New York Times.
The six-country poll found that 62% of French people, 61% of Americans and 66% of Germans thought that their country should fix immigration quotas on the basis of profession or nationality. That figure rose to 76% in Italy, 77% in Spain and 80% in Great Britain.
The survey comes at a time when national immigration policy in Europe and the United States is at the heart of public debate. It is the first poll to systematically compare public opinion in European nations and the USA on the issue of quotas. A recurrent theme in the immigration debate, France’s new president Nicolas Sarkozy made it a keystone of his campaign.
The study also offers an insight into general perceptions of immigration in the six countries. A majority of Britons (67%), Germans and Italians (55% in both countries) say that “too many” regular migrants live in their country.
In Spain 45% of those surveyed spoke of a disproportionate number of foreigners legally residing in the country. Just 32% of French people and 35% of Americans thought similarly.
Unlike their European neighbours, a majority of French people (52%) thought that the number of legal immigrants in their country was not too high, an opinion shared by 43% of Americans.
The level of integration of legal immigrants also provokes differing opinions. 43% of Americans said foreigners living in their country were “fairly well integrated” or “totally integrated.” 58% in Germany, 56% in France, 52% in Italy and 50% in Britain said immigrants were “not very well integrated” or “not at all integrated.” Spain offered a contrasting response, with 62% saying immigrants were “neither integrated nor not integrated.”
The widest variation in responses came on whether new measures should be adopted to make immigrants' lives easier. 56% of French people said they should, compared with 44% in Spain, 36% in Germany, 28% in the US and just 18% in Great Britain.
Big differences were also registered over voting rights for immigrants. 53% of Americans were against foreigners voting, whatever the election, followed by 38% in Britain, 37% in Germany, 36% in Italy, 34% in Spain and 28% in France.
France and Germany showed the highest proportion of respondents who thought foreigners should be allowed to vote after living legally in the country for several years (38% in both countries). 37% of Italians, 36% of Germans and Spanish, and 21% of Americans agreed.
The survey was carried out online from May 2 to May 14 on a sample of 6,585 people. All respondents were aged 16 and over (except the 1,212 Italians surveyed, who fell into the 18 and over age bracket).
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