Europe's Anti-Immigrant Voters

[joebloggs]

the future of Schengen is in doubt—if you listen to the public, at least. Our survey found that a majority of citizens in France (64%), Belgium (62%), Italy (62%), Sweden (59%), Spain (54%) and Germany (51%) favor the reintroduction of border controls in the Schengen zone, while citizens of Britain, a country not even in Schengen, are the most in favor (74%) of increased controls on the Continent. Only in Poland do more people oppose reintroducing border controls than support it. Among those in favor, the need to control immigration and improve security are the reasons most frequently cited.

http://www.ipsos-mori.com/newsevents...nt-Voters.aspx

I wonder why Polish are not in favor of reintroducing border controls its time we had our democratic vote on this and the EU

[bigmarco]

Good post Joe and your right to highlight that it only seems to be the Polish against the reintroduction of border controls,for obvious reasons. As regards our democratic vote on this, I do believe that if neither of the main parties address this soon we may well see a swing to the smaller parties who have obvious views on this. The main parties would be stupid to ignore the fact that UKIP seem to do so well at the European elections and if they all continue ignoring the problems brought around by mass immigration, how long before this support for UKIP and others transfers over in a general election.

[grahamw48]

They got my vote.

[Iani]

Hmm it's easy to say the Poles don't want border controls because they all come over to be plumbers, but I suspect this isn't the reason. This is simply because since they're in the EU anyway, they are still entitled to work anywhere - as we all are - it would just mean them showing a passport on their way to a different country (which they have to do when coming to the UK anyway)

I'd suspect it's more because they've got a very long porous border with the rest of the EU, and unlike many borders which formed through history along topographical features, forming a natural harder to cross border, theirs was drawn up pinched from Germany

It means its extremely easy to cross, and there's a lot of cross border economic activity between Poland and Germany, almost to the extent of that which exists between British market towns.

You have Poles who have bought homes in Eastern Germany because they're in such good condition, and in charming villages - the German government spent a lot renovating them once the east was liberated 20 years ago, but fewer Germans want to live there as the German economic zone is more to the west. Bit of a bummer to have to show your passport to get home perhaps.

Dunno though

I half wish we were in the schengen, just to make it easier to get around, but for very obvious reasons, this isn't possible. The whole idea of the schengen is flawed really, as it only makes it easier for crims. Can't help wondering if those responsible for this idea were driven less by logic, and more by "oh this shows we are the united states of europe innit, now lets have politicial union.................oh as long as we are in charge of course"

[grahamw48]

Most of these ups have more to do with political idealism and fantasy rather than real-world human greed and skulduggery, unfortunately .