Germans more deeply divided over aid to Ukraine than over immigration

Support for Ukraine in warding off the full-scale Russian invasion causes more much social tension in Germany than any other issue, including immigration, according to a survey published on Tuesday.

The latest Polarization Barometer by the Mercator Forum for Migration and Democracy (MIDEM) at Dresden University of Technology found that around 54% of the population want Germany to continue supporting Ukraine, while just under 29% favour closer ties with Russia.

The growing divide is reflected in the fact that the proportion of respondents choosing the most strongly pro-Russian position on a scale from 0 to 10 has risen from 13.7% in the previous survey to 17.3%, MIDEM director Hans Vorländer said.

About 17% of respondents in the survey of 2,785 respondents aged 18 and over and conducted in March this year either did not feel strongly either way or did not feel able to express an opinion on the issue.

The researchers found no overall increase in polarization compared with 2025.

According to the study, 65.1% of respondents believe that opportunities for foreigners to immigrate to Germany in general should be restricted, little changed from last year, when it stood at 67%.

There was a more noticeable change in attitudes towards skilled worker immigration. According to the findings, 56% of the population support making it easier for foreign skilled workers to immigrate to Germany, with 27% opposing this.

A year earlier, 61% supported easing immigration rules for skilled workers, while 23% opposed this.