Public Attitudes


There’s still strong support for Ukrainian refugees across Europe: new evidence from eight countries.

New research from the Migration Policy Centre shows continued high levels of public support in eight European countries for refugees from Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion. Europeans remain strongly supportive of Ukrainian refugees with little sign so far of ‘compassion fatigue’ setting in, at least so far as Ukrainian refugees are concerned. The picture […]

Why liberal refugee policies need enemies

In 2022 Europe experienced the largest refugee influx since World War II. Europe’s response to the Ukrainian refugee movement drew positive headlines at first. Later, however, frustration and disappointment prevailed. The oft-invoked paradigm shift toward a humanitarian refugee policy failed to materialise. Instead, the first ever activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive triggered a […]

Persuading People on Immigration is Hard but Here’s What Can be Done

Many individuals and organisations are rightly advocating for more open immigration policies, driven by the belief that immigration is generally beneficial for all parties involved. Yet, despite these well-intentioned efforts, many voters remain sceptical about increasing immigration flows. Understanding why these attempts to shift public opinion often fall short is crucial. This is the question […]

Do you know what the research says about public attitudes to migration?

Did you know that we produce comprehensive data to help you understand attitudes toward migration in Europe? Recently, we created a quiz for you to test your own knowledge. Quiz questions #1: True or false? Research suggests that people’s attitudes to migration are highly subject to day-to-day 📆 experiences and remain volatile throughout life ↩️ ↪️ #2: […]