Most Italians support granting voting rights to immigrants

45% think increasing aid is the best way to reduce illegal immigration,

4th December 2009: As the country debates on whether or not to grant immigrants the right to vote in local authority elections, it emerges that 57% of Italians support giving immigrants the same right to political participation as native-born citizens. 53% of Italians clearly support granting local voting rights to immigrants.

In addition, 87% support giving immigrants the same social benefits as native-born citizens, the second-annual “Transatlantic Trends: Immigration” survey shows.

At the same time, 49% of those polled felt that immigration was more of a problem than an opportunity.

Italians estimated the percentage of immigrants living in their country to be 23%, while in reality it is 6%.

The report also shows that 60% of those polled in Italy believe that discrimination by society is the greatest barrier to integration, as opposed to 31% who believe that immigrants’ unwillingness to integrate is the greatest barrier.

Just under two-thirds (66%) support allowing environmental migrants to settle in Italy.

When it comes to jobs, 74% of Italians disagreed that immigrants take away jobs from native-born workers while 57% disagreed that immigrants bring down wages.

Some 81% of Italians were more worried about illegal immigration than legal immigration, with 77% agreeing that illegal immigrants increase crime.

Most Italians (71%) support permanent migration over temporary migration, but only 36% support the legalization of immigrants.

Most Italians don’t seem happy with the government’s management of immigration. Only 43% say that the government has done a good or fair job.