A growing majority of Poles support reinstating border checks with Germany in response to rising concerns over illegal immigration, according to a new IBRiS poll conducted for Radio ZET.
The survey found that 62.1 percent of respondents favor stricter controls at the western border, while only 27.6 percent oppose the measure. Another 10.3 percent remain undecided.
Overall, the findings indicate that roughly six in ten Poles support reintroducing border controls between Poland and Germany to help stem illegal crossings.
Support is especially strong among voters of conservative and right-leaning parties. Among Confederation party supporters, an overwhelming 89 percent are in favor of tighter border controls, with just 10 percent opposed. Similarly, 85 percent of voters for the Law and Justice (PiS) party back the move, while only 4 percent are against it. Another 11 percent of PiS supporters were undecided.
Centrist voters in the Third Way coalition (Poland 2050 and the Polish People’s Party) also largely favor the proposal, with 61 percent supporting and 39 percent opposing.
The issue has even gained traction among voters of the governing liberal Civic Coalition (KO), where 54 percent support border checks, compared to 35 percent who oppose and 11 percent who are undecided.
The New Left party stands out as the only political group where a clear majority opposes the measure. According to the poll, 68 percent of its supporters reject reinstating border controls, while 32 percent are in favor.
The nationwide poll, commissioned by Radio ZET, was conducted by IBRiS on April 4-5 using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) with a representative sample of 1,068 Polish adults.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke recently about the illegal immigration crisis on the country’s eastern border with Belarus, announcing the organization of an information campaign for prospective migrants seeking to cross illegally into the country.
In a video recording on X, the liberal politician spoke about the success of the border infrastructure on Poland’s eastern front, leading to PiS MPs ridiculing him for trying to take credit for the fence built by the previous Conservative administration.
“Are you bragging about the wall built by PiS?” asked PiS MP Bartosz Kownacki. “After all, it was you who voted against the construction of the barrier and spoke about ‘defenseless’ migrants. Hypocrisy!”
Tusk, however, has said little with regard to the border with Germany.
Berlin implemented border controls with Poland and other neighboring countries late last year — a move seen by many as a futile attempt to show action on border management by the Social Democrats (SPD) ahead of the federal elections.
Those temporary measures remain in place, prompting many conservative politicians in Poland to call on the government to reciprocate.
