INSCOP Survey: 41% of Romanians See Middle Eastern Migrants as Threat

By Romania Journal Last updated Apr 29, 2024

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Over 40% of Romanians believe that immigrants from the Middle East represent a big or small threat to Romania, about 26% have a neutral position on this issue, and 21% believe that they represent an opportunity, according to a survey carried out by INSCOP commissioned by News.ro.

The same survey also shows that 21.1% of Romanians consider people from Ukraine a great threat, and those who have such an opinion about citizens from EU states represent 10.5%.

The attitude towards immigrants from the Middle East

23.4% of Romanians think that immigrants from the Middle East represent a big threat for Romania, 17.9% a small threat, 25.9% no threat, no opportunity, 16.5% a small opportunity, and 4.3% a big opportunity. 4% say they don’t care, and 8% don’t know or don’t answer. 22% of PSD-PNL voters believe that people from the Middle East represent a big threat, 32% of AUR voters and 25% of ADU voters.

18% of those aged between 18 and 29 share this opinion, 21% of those between 30 and 44, 24% of those aged between 45 and 59, 28% of those over 60. I think that people from the Middle East are a big threat 26% of those with primary education, 23% of those with secondary education and 22% of those with higher education. The same opinion is shared by 28% of Bucharest residents, 27% of residents of cities with more than 90,000 inhabitants, 21% of residents of cities with less than 90,000 inhabitants, 22% of rural residents.

Attitude about Ukrainians

21.1% of Romanians think that people from Ukraine represent a big threat for Romania, 16.4% that they are a small threat, 35.2% no threat, no opportunity, 13.6% a small opportunity, and 5.1% a big opportunity. 2.5% declare that they do not care, and 6.1% do not know or do not answer. 20% of PSD-PNL voters think that people from Ukraine represent a big threat, 28% of AUR voters and 7% of ADU voters. 17% of those aged between 18 and 29 share this opinion, 26% of those between 30 and 44, 21% of those aged between 45 and 59, 20% of those over 60. I think that people from Ukraine represent a big threat 39% of those with primary education, 20% of those with secondary education and 10% of those with higher education. The same opinion is shared by 17% of Bucharest residents, 14% of residents of cities with over 90,000 inhabitants, 24% of residents of cities with less than 90,000 inhabitants, 24% of rural residents.

“The percentage of Romanians who believe that immigrants from various areas of the world represent a great threat to Romania is small, compared to those who do not share such an opinion. This reveals a relatively tolerant attitude, despite some subversive populist discursive excesses aimed at stimulating a hostile attitude especially towards refugees from Ukraine”, said Remus Ştefureac, director of INSCOP Research.

“Under a quarter of Romanians believe that immigrants from the Middle East represent a great threat, compared to almost 70% who do not support this point of view; only about a fifth believe that immigrants from Ukraine represent a great threat, compared to over 70% who do not share this opinion; and only one in ten Romanians believes that immigrants from other areas represent a great threat, compared to 80% who do not support this assertion. AUR voters are more skeptical about immigrants, no matter what part of the world they come from, while ADU voters are more tolerant. PSD-PNL voters have similar opinions to the average population.

Young people are more tolerant towards immigrants, as are people with higher education. Residents of Bucharest and large cities are more tolerant of immigrants from Ukraine, compared to residents of medium-sized, small towns and rural areas. On the other hand, the people of Bucharest and the inhabitants of the big cities are somewhat more intolerant towards immigrants from the Middle East, compared to the inhabitants of medium-sized, small towns and those from the countryside”, he added.

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