One in five Europeans sees migration as biggest threat to national security

One in five Europeans is concerned about immigration, according to a new survey by YouGov - many think it’s more of a threat than climate change or terrorism. 

Europeans more concerned about migration than climate change

A new survey has found that a fifth of EU residents consider migration to be the greatest threat to security in their country. According to the representative study, published by polling institute YouGov last week, immigration leads the list of possible threats to Europeans, with 21 percent of respondents naming it as their greatest concern, ahead of the consequences of climate change (17 percent). 

With 64 percent, Greeks most frequently rated migration as a threat to their own country, compared to the 24 percent of Germans who were of this opinion. While 16 percent of the Germans surveyed named climate change as the greatest national threat, concern about climate change is highest in Poland (24 percent) and Denmark (21 percent). Terrorism is of most concern to people in France (23 percent) and the UK (21 percent). 

Majority believe NATO is important for improving defence

The survey also touched on respondents’ opinions on defence within the EU and their view on NATO. Of the Europeans surveyed, 46 percent said they have no confidence in the EU when it comes to improving military defence. 59 percent were of the opinion that NATO is important for defence in their own country. 

The survey also showed that half of the individuals surveyed in Europe (exactly 50 percent) have confidence in their respective governments to improve military defences in their own country. The Swedes (34 percent) and Germans (36 percent) have comparatively the lowest level of trust. 

The YouGov survey was carried out on behalf of the European University Institute and interviewed 21.779 people from 13 EU member states and the UK between April 17 and 29, 2020.