The proportion of Poles who dislike Americans, Jews and Ukrainians has risen more over the last year than for any other ethnic and national group, according to the latest results of a long-running survey by state research agency CBOS.
However, Russians, Belarusians and Roma remain the most disliked national and ethnic groups in Poland, while Italians, Czechs and Slovaks are the most popular.
The poll, carried out annually since 1993, asks Poles if they like or dislike specific national and ethnic groups. This year, 21 such groups were included in the study.
CBOS found that the proportion of Poles saying they dislike Jews (40%) and Americans (18%) rose eight percentage points in both cases since last year, more than for any other group. The next biggest increase, of five percentage points, was for Ukrainians (43%).
Meanwhile, the proportion who like Americans has fallen from 68% in 2023, when they were the most-liked of any group, to 47% now, putting them in fifth place. Positive opinions of Jews have fallen to 22%, the lowest level since 2006.
Attitudes towards Jews are likely to have been influenced by Israel’s actions in Gaza, which last year saw growing public anger in Poland and criticism from the Polish government.
Meanwhile, a wide range of polls have shown that attitudes towards America have worsened since Donald Trump’s return to the White House a year ago.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sentiment towards Ukrainians – millions of whom fled to Poland – softened among Poles. In 2023, dislike of Ukrainians had fallen to its lowest recorded level of 17%, down from 40% in 2018 and a high of 66% in 1994.
However, anti-Ukrainian attitudes have recently been on the rise in Poland, amid tensions over the remaining almost 1 million Ukrainian refugees and clashes with Kyiv over economic issues and World War Two history.
Meanwhile, as was the case last year, the most liked group among Poles is Italians (58%), followed by Poland’s two southern neighbours, the Czechs (55%) and Slovaks (52%).
At the other end of the scale, Russians are once again the least liked (7%) and most disliked (74%) group. The proportion of Poles who dislike Russians has risen significantly since the invasion of Ukraine. In 2021, the figure had stood at just 35%.
According to a study published last week by the Levada Center, an independent Russian polling organisation, Russians also do not have much fondness for Poland, as they consider the country to be among its greatest enemies.
Last month, Moscow advised its citizens against travelling to Poland, citing “Russophobic sentiments” and “persecution of Russian citizens”. Poland, meanwhile, has accused Russia of carrying out a campaign of sabotage, espionage, cyberattacks and disinformation.
Posted by BubsyFanboy
3 Comments
!ping POLAND
**1. Why is this relevant for** r/neoliberal **?**
This is relevant to Poland, Poles and how they perceive Ukrainians, Americans, Jews, Italians, Czechs, Slovaks and Russians.
**2. What do you think people should discuss about it?**
You may discuss the reasons for each opinion of the various demographics by the Poles and well as what could be done to make the image of said demographics more positive.
**2a. What do you think of the issue at hand?**
The anti-semitism (and not just the “you dislike the Israeli state therefore you hate Jews” kind) being this high up is still rather sad to see. The massive rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment even more so.
If I was Jewish, every time I saw a poll like this I would feel more justified in the existence of Israel.
I cannot imagine what it must be like to be Jewish in Poland.
Even setting aside the horrors of the Holocaust, amount of shit the community has dealt with *since* the Nazis fell is fucking abominable. There’s no winning with these people.