The people of Europe are increasingly rejecting the idea that multiculturalism is good for society, a new survey has shown.

After a year that saw the unprecedented migration crisis as well as Islamist terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, attitudes to immigration are hardening across the continent, even in traditionally liberal countries, the Pew Research survey shows.

When asked if diversity makes their country a “better place to live”, only a minority of Europeans now agreed.

Sweden remains the most positive about increasing diversity, despite its record levels of immigration, yet still only 36 per cent think it is a good thing, compared to 38 per cent who say it does not make much difference, and 26 per cent who oppose it.

By far the most negative country is Greece, where 63 per cent of respondents said increasing diversity had made their country a worse place to live. In Italy, which has also borne the brunt of the migrant crisis, 53 per cent held a similar view.

Only a third of Brits thought diversity was good for the UK, with a similar number believing it makes the country worse.

The survey also shows that Eastern European nations are becoming a bastion of anti-immigration sentiment with 41 per cent of Hungarians and 40 per cent of Poles also opposing diversity. Nearly three quarters of Hungarians also have an “unfavourable view of Muslims”, along with 65 per cent of Poles.

“Majorities in Greece, Hungary, Italy and Poland express negative attitudes toward both Muslims and refugees,” the report’s authors write.

“Even in countries with more positive views, such as Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, at least half believe Muslims do not want to integrate into the larger society and majorities express concerns that refugees increase the chance of domestic terrorist attacks.”

The survey was conducted in April and May this year and covers 10 countries in the European Union, making up 80 per cent of the political union’s population.

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