# What's the SD on 'more than half of Germans want to emigrate'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432 "2018-10-24T14:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/1 "2018-10-24T14:47:53Z")
A friend of mine made a statement this past weekend that more than half of Germans polled in some survey say they would like to emigrate away from Germany. I was, let’s say, more than a bit skeptical. I found some articles on this, but they seem to me to be more right wing loony sites. No idea who the Voice of Europe is, but here is an article on the subject: [https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/10/more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate-as-people-have-lost-confidence-in-merkels-chaotic-government/](https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/10/more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate-as-people-have-lost-confidence-in-merkels-chaotic-government/) > [@](#): > > More than half of Germans want to emigrate as people have lost confidence in Merkel’s ‘chaotic government’ > > Never before in recent history have so many Germans wanted to leave their homeland. 55 per cent said in a survey that they would like to try their luck in another country – many saying forever. > > The desire: In addition to better weather, the would-be emigrants hope for a new home, a stable political situation and a better income. > > In a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the financial services TransferWise more than half of respondents said that they would like to turn their back on Germany. If not forever, then you can imagine 13 per cent, at least for several years away from Germany to live. > > The reasons given for this were a “two-handed slap to Merkel and her companions,” as the magazine Free World stated: > > An important reason is the desire for a more stable political situation. People want to leave Germany because the political situation is too unstable. So, what’s the Straight Dope on this? It seems to me to be either a total fabrication or a distortion. Hard to believe that any large percentage of Germans would want to leave Germany, which is considered one of the best countries to live in afaik with a very high standard of living. Where would Germans want to move too that would be better for them?? ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/2 "2018-10-24T14:54:22Z")
Is this the same “friend” who told about South Africa becoming Zimbabwe? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/3 "2018-10-24T14:56:13Z")
No. The ‘friend’ that told me about South Africa was a YouTuber, as I said in that thread. I even linked to the channel. Did you have anything to actually add besides some sort of backhanded implication of…some shit? ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/4 "2018-10-24T14:58:50Z")
My guess (and this is probably more of an IMHO than an actual answer) is that if the survey actually exists, it’s a combination of dissatisfaction and vague questioning. For instance, after Trump was elected if you asked “Due to the recent election, have you considered moving to another country?” I bet you would get a very similar response rate. It’s more of signaling than serious intent. My wife and I discussed leaving the US after the election and when you go from knee-jerk to actual ‘Let’s sell the house.’ things change. Emigrating is not easy and there are surprisingly few places that you think you’d fit in well. Leaving family is very difficult and right now, our kids see their grandparents frequently. If we went to Australia (which politically isn’t too much better) then the next time they saw them would likely be their funeral. Canada’s a little better, but their weather sucks and no one can afford to live in any of their cities, so we stayed. Anyway, there’s my IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/5 "2018-10-24T14:59:03Z")
“some survey” … “right wing looney sites” … Enough said. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/6 "2018-10-24T15:00:22Z")
What did your “friend” say when you asked them your questions? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/7 "2018-10-24T15:03:26Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > What did your “friend” say when you asked them your questions? What my conservative friends usually say … ‘look it up’. Which I did. Then I asked a question. Now…do you have anything to actually add, in GQ? If not, feel free to roll on out to greener pastures. I’m asking a GQ question. If the actual GQ answer is ‘it’s a right wing CT’ I’m perfectly good with that…show me so I can use that to throw it in the discussion next time. Otherwise, please take your chip and your shoulder somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/8 "2018-10-24T15:04:02Z")
Check out the rest of that website, then you might be able to answer your question. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/9 "2018-10-24T15:05:26Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Check out the rest of that website, then you might be able to answer your question. Yeah, I saw that. However, this isn’t the only site with the supposed survey (which is linked in the article but is in German, a language I don’t speak) on it so I wasn’t sure if the fact they linked to it means that it’s all loony right wingers or just this site. It is, however, why I linked to this particular story, as it does seem to have a specific, um, slant. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/10 "2018-10-24T15:08:39Z")
OK the straight dope is more than half of Germans do not wish to emigrate. Does that satisfy you? Really how to you expect us to respond to a crazy notion like that. There are millions of crazy claims on the internet. Many are so absurd, they aren’t even worth the time to debunk them. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/11 "2018-10-24T15:10:46Z")
Yeah, I guess asking for a GQ answer is asking a bit much. Sorry if there are too many crazy claims out there to bother the board with or ask German 'dopers or maybe some 'dopers who might have some insights into this more than my own quick take to go to the trouble to write some stuff. It’s obvious too much of a burden. Mods, feel free to close since I’ve gotten such stellar responses here… ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/12 "2018-10-24T15:15:29Z")
Sorry this didn’t turn out the way you wanted, but at least your brought this valuable information to our attention. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/13 "2018-10-24T15:16:38Z")
NM…not worth it. Think what you like. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/14 "2018-10-24T15:18:00Z")
It’s the kind of question where you can get widely varying responses by simply phrasing it one way or another. “Would you like to move to Hawaii?” lots of people who have actually no idea what would be involved in moving to Hawaii and who only know it from Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum would say “yes”. “Would you like to retire to Spain or Portugal?” lots of Germans would like to retire to Spain or Portugal. Mainly to the German colonies there, mind you. “Are you planning on moving to another country within the next five years?” here’s where I would be extremely surprised if the answer was over 50% “yes”. And even for those who are planning to move, it’s going to be a very specific move (I suspect not many Germans would be terribly keen in moving to Congo). And the Voice of Europe makes Mike Pence look like Bernie Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/15 "2018-10-24T15:22:33Z")
Did you go the the source of the survey (Yougov)? Right now the top polls are “Is blackface makeup racist?” and “Have you ever tasted pet food?”. Oh, and they have poll results of the “Top five food and snack brands”. And you still think that the Germany poll might be valid? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/16 "2018-10-24T15:24:44Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > It’s the kind of question where you can get widely varying responses by simply phrasing it one way or another. > > “Would you like to move to Hawaii?” lots of people who have actually no idea what would be involved in moving to Hawaii and who only know it from Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum would say “yes”. > > “Would you like to retire to Spain or Portugal?” lots of Germans would like to retire to Spain or Portugal. Mainly to the German colonies there, mind you. > > “Are you planning on moving to another country within the next five years?” here’s where I would be extremely surprised if the answer was over 50% “yes”. And even for those who are planning to move, it’s going to be a very specific move (I suspect not many Germans would be terribly keen in moving to Congo). > And the Voice of Europe makes Mike Pence look like Bernie Sanders. I figured. What I was hoping for from this thread is maybe someone in Europe familiar with this supposed poll that had specific debunking of it, or maybe that the poll itself is made up. That’s what I suspected was the case, but since the poll I found is in German I don’t have a clue. My WAG is that my friend who brought this up saw it on some neo-Nazi German site or from some right wing whack-a-do source, and it would be nice to be able to show that definitively the next time this comes up. Anyway, thanks for the response Nava. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/17 "2018-10-24T15:26:14Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Did you go the the source of the survey (Yougov)? Right now the top polls are “Is blackface makeup racist?” and “Have you ever tasted pet food?”. Oh, and they have poll results of the “Top five food and snack brands”. And you still think that the Germany poll might be valid? No, I didn’t see that. When I click on the link in the article for the survey it takes me here, which is a German site. [https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article181832452/Umfrage-Mehr-als-die-Haelfte-der-Deutschen-wuerde-gern-auswandern.html?wtmc=socialmedia.facebook.shared.web](https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article181832452/Umfrage-Mehr-als-die-Haelfte-der-Deutschen-wuerde-gern-auswandern.html?wtmc=socialmedia.facebook.shared.web) And, as I said, I NEVER thought it was a valid poll. What I was looking for was evidence pointing to that fact. If Yougov is a definitely racists right wing site then that’s good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/18 "2018-10-24T15:36:36Z")
No, Yougov isn’t a racist site, it’s a fluff site that can’t be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/19 "2018-10-24T15:38:29Z")
> [@XT](#): > > If Yougov is a definitely racists right wing site then that’s good enough for me. Yougov is a mainstream UK polling company. They do ask random, often daft, questions at the end of their paid surveys, hence the stuff on their website. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432/20 "2018-10-24T15:38:34Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > “Would you like to move to Hawaii?” lots of people who have actually no idea what would be involved in moving to Hawaii and who only know it from Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum would say “yes”… Haha, yes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-sd-on-more-than-half-of-germans-want-to-emigrate/823432.md?page=2)