Migration is a hot-button issue, especially when displacements peak, such as the recent episode in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, which saw around 80,000 people cross the border from Morocco in just 48 hours at the end of July.
Despite the global number of refugees falling by 3% in 2025 compared to the end of 2024, according to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, the issue remains firmly on people's minds: Google searches on the topic have increased by 150% in the past five years.
While overall public support for offering refuge remains strong, there are still widespread doubts about whether the people claiming to be refugees are in actual need of protection, according to Ipsos Global Attitudes Towards Refugees 2026.
In general, among EU countries, support for refugees is strongest in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Spain, with almost eight in 10 people agreeing that people should be able to seek refuge to escape from war or persecution.
In contrast, those in Hungary and Poland tend to show the least support among EU countries, at 54% each.
