Thursday, June 04, 2015

50% of Italians and Poles View Muslims Negatively, Study Finds


NEWSWEEK: More than 50% of Italians and Poles have a negative view of Muslims, according to new research which reveals worrying levels of xenophobia in several European countries.

A study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 61% of Italians and 56% of Poles expressed a negative view of Muslims in their country[,].

Anti-Semitism is also high in both countries, with one in five Italians and one in four Poles viewing Jews unfavourably. In contrast, less than one in 10 French and British people expressed similar views.

Xenophobia has seen a revival in Europe of late, with the rise of far-right and nationalist parties such as the Front National in France and the Pegida movement in Germany.

The study, which also surveyed four other EU nations, was conducted after the Charlie Hebdo shootings and kosher supermarket attack in Paris earlier this year. » | Conor Gaffey | Wednesday, June 03, 2015