Poll: Rural residents and blue-collar workers most negative toward immigration

Voters largely unaware of political parties’ views on immigration

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Residents of rural areas appear to have the most negative views of a possible increase in the number of immigrants in Finland.
      According to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup, opponents of immigration also outnumber supporters among those in blue collar professions. Men also tend to take a more negative view of immigration than women do.
      The most positive attitudes toward immigration are among students, those aged under 25, high-ranking white collar employees, and residents of the Helsinki area.
      “They are more open, and interact more with foreigners in general”, says Juhani Pehkonen of Suomen Gallup.
     
In September 2007 a poll showed that 55 per cent of Finns were in favour of increased immigration. Now the figure has dropped to 45 per cent. In the same period, the proportion of those opposed to taking more immigrants rose from 39 to 44 per cent. The proportion of those who are uncertain has also grown.
      Examined from the point of view of political party identification, the most eager to take in more immigrants are supporters of the Green League, the Left Alliance, and the National Coalition Party. Supporters of the True Finns were the most negative.
     
Juhani Pehkonen attributes the more negative attitudes to sharpened public debate concerning immigration policy and foreigners.
      The sharpened tones have been primarily to the benefit of the True Finns, who made considerable gains in last year’s municipal elections.
      Another significant factor is the present economic uncertainty. “We are now living a time that is ripe for an increase in reticence”, Pehkonen says.
     
The poll also surveyed views on work permit consideration.
      Under current practice, foreigners from outside the EU, the Nordic Countries, and Switzerland do not get work permits if Finnish labour is available for the posts that they seek. The poll shows that 44 per cent would like to drop the practice and put all foreigners on the same starting line along with Finnish job applicants. The present practice is favoured by 49 per cent.
      Changes from two years ago in this matter are not as sharp as in questions concerning the number of immigrants.
     
The survey also revealed that Finns do not have a very clear idea on the views taken by Finland’s various political parties on the immigration issue.
      For instance, half of respondents could not say which parties have taken a “right direction” with respect to immigration issues.
      Standing out were the True Finns, whom one third of respondents felt were “too anti-foreigner”.
      In January, Helsingin Sanomat ascertained the attitudes of political parties toward immigration policy.
      It came out at that time that in many party policy programmes, the issue had been touched upon only briefly. Some had not dealt with it at all. None of the parties that had been long in government were satisfied with the result of integration policies.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Rami Sipilä does not like Somalis (15.2.2008)
  Few parties put emphasis on immigration policy (12.1.2009)
  Thors reacts to Katainen comments on immigration (20.2.2009)
  True Finns´ Timo Soini tired of accusations of racism (10.2.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat