East vs West? Public Attitudes in Migration and Integration Policymaking in Europe 

This Policy Dialogue marks the publication of a new policy paper by Lenka Dražanová, MIDEM Visiting Fellow 2025 and Visiting Fellow at the European University Institute’s Migration Policy Centre, which examines the extent to which common explanations of public attitudes towards immigration, largely developed in Western European contexts, can be generalised across Europe.

Amid heightened attention to migration in the EU, recent political debates have increasingly focused on the integration and inclusion of newcomers across member states. Diverse regional experiences with the integration of third-country nationals point to varying levels of public support for more liberal or restrictive immigration policies. While Western European models have commonly explained attitudes towards immigration through left–right ideological divides, recent research suggests that these frameworks do not translate seamlessly to Central and Eastern European contexts. Instead, restrictive attitudes towards immigration may be shaped by a combination of political environments, historical experiences of immigration, social determinants and dominant migration narratives.

With political debates on migration and integration often guided by simplified narratives and assumptions, what role can public attitudes play in informing policymaking at both EU and national levels? How can a better understanding of the factors shaping these attitudes help policymakers design more effective approaches to integration?

The discussion will explore how policymakers can move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches and develop more context-specific strategies for integrating newcomers, with a focus on social inclusion, fairness and constructive public engagement.

This event welcomes the participation of EPC members, Connecting Europe Partners, media representatives and EU officials.