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.

  • CHINESEBOTTROLL@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    I mostly agree with your conclusion, but this is a very american (I.e. ignorant) response to her concern and i am not surprised she wasnt receptive. I think you underestimate the difference between a country like yours (which has always been a ‘salad bowl’ of cultures united by a commitment to liberalism) and mine (Germany, which is essentially a big tribe of tribes). This difference is even more stark if you look at a place like Denmark.

    Here are a few of your points that gave me this impression:

    Germany is actually younger than the US

    Her concern is (to me) obviously independent of the state we happen to live under. Germaneness is not tied to a political entity. East Germans were German, Volga Germans are German and the German speaking people under the hre were German. (“German” Americans are not German btw.) This also makes your comment about

    Her mom was an East German and described to us how they had an entirely separate culture

    baffling (to me).

    US culture has, … tangibly benefitted from immigration over the centuries.

    The us is in many ways a much worse country than Germany (or almost any EU country). I don’t see why we should strive to emulate that model.

    • Zacryon@lemmy.wtfEnglish
      1·
      6 months ago

      The us is in many ways a much worse country than Germany (or almost any EU country). I don’t see why we should strive to emulate that model.

      Besides the point. Immigration does not necessarily lead to “bad” legislation.