Regional Determinants of Attitudes Toward Immigrants in Germany

Abstract

Attitudes toward immigrants play a crucial role in voting behavior. Such attitudes are shaped by individual characteristics, but also by the environment. This paper examines the role of regional factors in Germany. We use individual-level survey data and district-level administrative data. Specifically, we examine regional differences in economic growth, voting patterns, and immigrant characteristics and their relation to beliefs about and attitudes toward immigrants. We also use an information experiment about the immigrant population and assess its impact on attitudes. We find that regional effects—over and above individual characteristics—are small and depend on the attitudes.