Wednesday, 16 October 2002

Only one-third of Danes (33 percent) believe that immigrants and refugees contribute to society in a positive way, while 30 percent are in direct disagreement with this view.

In comparison with our Nordic neighbours, we have the lowest percentage of people who think that refugees and immigrants make a positive contribution to society. Among Danes, there is a plurality of only 3 percent who believe that these groups make a positive contribution, while in Finland the plurality is 16 percent and in Norway it is 18 percent.

The group that is in greatest agreement with the statement is the Swedes. As much as 55 percent of them say that refugees and immigrants make a positive contribution to society, while only 14 percent disagree.

"It is clear that Sweden is the only country in the Nordic region where refugees and immigrants are considered a possible benefit to society," says Mads Stenbjerre, Research Director. "In the other countries, the respondents focus mainly on the negative aspects of immigration."

There are too many refugees and immigrants

Nearly one-half of Danes (47 percent) believe that there are too many refugees and immigrants in Denmark, while only one-quarter (25 percent) disagree with this statement. On this issue as well, the Danes are considerably more negative towards foreigners than their Nordic neighbours.

Denmark and Norway are the only countries where there is a plurality who believe that there are too many immigrants and refugees in the country. In Norway, 38 percent agree with the statement, while 33 percent disagree.

"In both Finland and Sweden, the negative voices are in the minority and there are clearly more who disagree with the statement that there are too many immigrants and refugees," says Stenbjerre. "But while Finland accepts the smallest number of refugees and immigrants of the Nordic countries, it is more surprising that the Swedes, who accept by far the most refugees, have a much more positive attitude towards these groups."

Refugees and immigrants have a greater criminal tendency

In Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, a large percentage of those interviewed believe that refugees and immigrants are more criminal than other segments of the population. Again, the Danes held the lead on this issue, with as much as 47 percent in agreement with the statement. Forty-three percent of the Norwegians, 38 percent of the Swedes and only 26 percent of the Finns believe that refugees and immigrants have a greater criminal tendency than other segments of the population.

"The explanation of the Finns' attitude surely lies in the low number of refugees and immigrants who come to Finland," comments Stenbjerre. "But it is striking that, although Swedes, Danes and Norwegians are generally in agreement that foreigners have a greater criminal tendency than other segments of the population, there are signs of two widely-differing explanations in the three countries. While Danes and Norwegians place a larger share of the blame on foreigners’ shoulders, Swedes assign a great deal of responsibility to society's willingness to open itself up to new ethnic groups."

Thirty-two percent of Swedes think it is the refugees’ and immigrants’ own fault that they are not better integrated in society, while 53 percent of Danes and 46 percent of Norwegians agree with this statement. On the other hand, 57 percent of Swedes say that society makes it difficult for immigrants and refugees to become integrated, while only 42 percent of Norwegians and Danes agree with this view.

For further commentary, please contact Mads Stenbjerre at ms@zapera.com or +45 2673 0696.

About the study: This study was conducted from 6-16 August 2002. A total of 1,000 persons over the age of 15 in each country (DK, SE, NO, FI) were interviewed. All the respondents were selected from Zapera’s Nordic Internet panel of more than 62,000 members. The respondents were selected on the basis of each country’s demographic breakdown by sex, age and geography.

About Zapera

Zapera A/S is the leading Internet-based market research institute in the Nordic countries with offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. Zapera is a full-service market research institute that conducts opinion polls, media tests, client satisfaction studies and many other types of study. Zapera’s online panel consists of more than 62,000 individuals throughout the Nordic region. Zapera cooperates with Aston Group, GfK and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Zapera has conducted projects for Carlsberg, Nordea, SAS, Arla and others. Zapera is the first market research institute to receive an IT security certification from PricewaterhouseCoopers in order to ensure the integrity of its clients’ and respondents’ IT facilities.