Two-thirds of Romanians see immigrants rather as an opportunity for Romania because they help the economy by taking over those jobs not filled by Romanians and support the granting of financial incentives for Romanians from the Diaspora to return to the country, according to the opinion poll carried out by INSCOP Research, this month.
Moreover, a third of Romanians see freedom in a balanced formula, namely that their own freedom does not affect the freedom of others. “More than two-thirds of the respondents have a tolerant attitude towards immigrants who come to work in our country, given that there are jobs available that are not occupied by Romanians, but at the same time they want the country to financially stimulate the return of our fellow citizens, who left for work abroad. Young people, people with higher and secondary education, as well as the residents of Bucharest are more tolerant than the average population. Also, people with primary education and residents of villages are the most enthusiastic supporters of the state’s support for the return to the country of Romanians who went to work abroad”, stated the director of INSCOP Research Remus Ștefureac, through a press release.
Only 25.1% of Romanians are of the opinion that immigrants who come to our country to find a job rather represent a threat to Romania because they take the jobs of Romanians who have to go abroad, it also indicates the INSCOP survey. Instead, 68.1% of respondents see immigrants as an opportunity for Romania because they help the economy by taking over those jobs not occupied by Romanians. 6.8% do not know or do not answer.
They also believe that immigrants are more of an opportunity for Romania because they help the economy by taking over those jobs not occupied by Romanians a percentage of 78.5% of people between 18 and 29 years old, 67.0% of those aged between 30 and 44 years, 61.6% of those aged 45 to 59 and 69.6% of those over 60. This opinion is shared by 47.3% of people with primary education, 74.3% of those with secondary education and 77.8% of people with higher education, respectively 80.6% of the inhabitants of Bucharest, 72.3% of the inhabitants of large urban, 75.6% of small urban residents and 60.1% of rural residents.
67.4% of Romanians agree with granting financial incentives for Romanians from the Diaspora to return to the country, while 31.5% are against such an idea and 1.1% do not know or do not answer.
At the same time, granting of financial incentives for Romanians from the Diaspora to return to the country is favored by 67.8% of people between 18 and 29 years old, 70.2% of those between 30 and 44 years old, 64, 3% of those aged 45 to 59 and 67.6% of those over 60. This opinion is shared by 87.7% of people with primary education, 67.3% of those with secondary education and 44.0% of people with higher education, respectively 59.5% of the inhabitants of Bucharest, 51.9% of the inhabitants of large urban, 61.3% of small urban residents and 79.7% of rural residents.
“For more than half of Romanians, freedom means either that one’s own freedom does not affect the freedom of others and that they have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, association, respect for private life). However, young people aged 18-29 see freedom in the most diverse and extensive form (to have as many rights as possible, their own freedom not to affect that of others, to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external constraint, to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or gender). People over 60 value more than the rest of the categories the idea of living in a society where they are not afraid of oppression, probably an effect of memories from the communist period. PSD voters value more than voters of other parties the idea that their own freedom should not affect that of others, PNL voters value more than supporters of other parties the idea of having as many rights and freedoms as possible, and USR voters value more than other electoral bases on the possibility of making decisions without any external constraint. On the other hand, overall, the way voters of all parties understand freedom is quite balanced between the 5 types of definitions measured in the survey”, explained Remus Ștefureac.
On freedom
Asked what is the most important thing to feel free, 33.1% chose the option “my own freedom should not affect the freedom of others”, 20.5% “to have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, association, respect for private life)”, 16% “to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or sex”.
The variant “to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external constraint” is indicated by 11.4% of the respondents and the variant “to live in a society where I do not fear oppression” by 10.1%. 8.8% do not know or do not answer the question, and 0.1% indicate something else.
Thus, among people aged between 18 and 29, 23.8% choose the option “my own freedom should not affect the freedom of others”, while the option “to have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, of association, respect for private life)” is preferred by 24.6%. The option “to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or sex” is preferred by 16.8% of the population aged between 18 and 29, the option “to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external coercion” by 19.9%, and the option “to live in a society where I don’t fear oppression” is preferred by 3.8%. 11% of them said they don’t know or don’t answer.
Among people aged between 30 and 44, 36.5% choose the option “my own freedom should not affect the freedom of others”, while the option “to have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, association , respect for private life)” is preferred by 14.2%.
The option “to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or sex” is preferred by 20.6% of the population aged between 30 and 44, the option “to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external constraint” by 8.6%, and the option “to live in a society where I don’t fear oppression” is preferred by 11.7%. 8% do not know or do not answer.
Among people aged between 45 and 59, 35.4% choose the option “my own freedom should not affect the freedom of others”, while the option “to have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, association , respect for private life)” is preferred by 27.3%. The option “to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or sex” is preferred by 16.8% of the population aged between 30 and 44, the option “to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external constraint” by 9.3%, and the option “to live in a society where I don’t fear oppression” is preferred by 6.8%. 4.4% do not know or do not answer.
Among the people over the age of 60, 32.9% choose the option “my own freedom should not affect the freedom of others”, while the option “to have as many rights and freedoms as possible (of expression, voting, association, respecting private life)” is preferred by 17.2%. The option “to live in a society without discrimination of ethnicity, race, religion, age or sex” is preferred by 11% of the population aged between 30 and 44, the option “to have the opportunity to make decisions without any external constraint ” by 11.1%, and the option “to live in a society where I do not fear oppression” is preferred by 15.4%. 12% do not know or do not answer.