Majority of Swedish population supports reducing number of refugees

By Alimat Aliyeva

According to a survey conducted from November 5 to 18 by the international marketing research company Ipsos, the majority of Swedish residents believe that the country should accept fewer refugees than it currently does, Azernews reports.

Only 12 percent of respondents support increasing the intake of refugees, while more than half are in favor of reducing it.

Following the refugee crisis of 2015, when hundreds of thousands of people fled the war in Syria, public opinion in Sweden became more cautious regarding the acceptance of refugees. Even when the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out in 2022, attitudes towards refugees temporarily became more positive. However, this trend quickly reversed in the following year.

Opinions on refugee admissions vary depending on political affiliation. The greatest opposition to increased immigration is found among voters of the far-right, nationalist, and populist Sweden Democrats, as well as the conservative Christian Democrats. While voters from the Left Party and the Green Party represent a smaller portion of the population on this issue, they are generally more supportive of increasing refugee admissions.

There are also notable differences in attitudes towards refugees based on education level and place of residence. Residents of larger cities and those with higher levels of education tend to be more supportive of refugee intake. In contrast, rural residents and people with lower levels of education are generally more skeptical. Additionally, women are more likely to have a positive view of refugee reception compared to men.