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.
Reducing immigration is not an authoritarian policy. Its crazy you think it is.
That’s a basic government policy.
On the question of Nazis, I must beg your pardon. I know an actual IRL Nazi (or perhaps more), because I knew them before they were Nazis. What I now know on hindsight to be bad faith questions about cultural preservation and immigration was my initial introduction to their new ideology.
On the question of immigration, I think what’s being asked for here isn’t just modest controls. You might say that, but the language about Germans feeling forced out of their own country would suggest to me that the order of the day is something a little more robust. I think I can be forgiven for that estimation. You can’t have it both ways, if you start giving the government extra power to start flexing on immigrants and non-conforming cultures, it’s eventually going to get used against you, too. You’re never so deep in the in-group as you might think.
The number of people going for cultural enforcement narratives is tiny compared to those being somewhat at unease at the speed of change, or concentration of change in particular areas – “Kreuzberg isn’t Germany” kind of thing no it was never Germany in the first place it’s always been Prussian and they’re not getting any less civilised with immigration, either, Berliners have always been rude. They’re fucking proud of being rude, it’s what passes as culture in that excuse for a city.
The AfD, sure, is talking about deporting Germans with foreign surnames – prompting wide-spread protests by everyone else. Conservatives may or may not get their underwear in a twist over pork-free options on the menu, the question they’re asking themselves is “will I be allowed to eat pork in the future”. There’s a feeling (and do I need to emphasise this: feeling) that their dietary habits are under attack by Muslims on the one flank, and the Green party and their “vegan dictatorship” on another. Meaning: The reaction is not tied to immigration as-such, it is simply a resistance to change, or advocacy. It’s perceived as political, and it arguably even is – Greens want their veggie day in canteens to lower overall meat consumption, while Muslims are saying “yo we don’t want to choose the vegetarian option every day can you folks eat something else but pork for once”. And it’s not like Rinderrouladen would be any worse without pork so that’s not an issue, at least not a culinary one.
The solution? Keep things simmering on low flame. Mind the rate of change, mind the reaction, don’t call people racist or climate deniers or whatnot for wanting their pork chops. Pork chops are good. Noone is going to take away pork chops. Pork chops will exist in the future. You don’t alleviate fears by getting out the rocket stove.
On the flipside you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone on any side of the political spectrum who argues that there should be pork Döner. In fact, it’s illegal to call a vertical pork skewer Döner: You can have veal or lamb, also poultry but then you have to explicitly mention the type of meat. Turks brought it here, everyone likes it (even Nazis!), Turks (by and large) don’t eat pork and not necessarily for religious reasons, Döner never contained pork, pork doesn’t belong in Döner just as Rostbratwurst isn’t made with goat meat.
The left has always been good at identifying structural issues, the right at hitting emotional chords. The left needs to get better at it, much better. People are worried about pork chops being under attack? Then, simultaneously with your veggie day initiative, say that certain traditional recipes should be protected, along the lines of “don’t let Nestle and Kraft tell you how to make your pork chops! Defend our culinary tradition!” and voila noone’s going to worry about pork chops getting outlawed. Simple as fucking that.