The hidden European consensus on migrant selection: a conjoint survey experiment in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark

Over the last three decades, Northern European countries have become net-receivers of immigrants from non-EU-countries. According to previous research, this has polarised public attitudes and party systems. The article, however, points to a hidden consensus on what kinds of immigrants to accept and reject for residency. The article covers the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Denmark using a conjoint survey experiment conducted in 2019/2020. The article finds a public consensus on accepting those who are perceived to be an economic gain (working aged, educated, with language skills), are cultural proximate (Christian background) and have deserving reasons to migrate (personal persecution, civil war, or family unification). The public consensus cuts across the four covered countries, despite variations in political mobilisation and discourses on the migration issue, and exists between groups with different economic interests, cultural orientations and voting intentions.