WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Many North Africans wanted to leave their countries before unrest in the region prompted thousands to do so this year, according to Gallup surveys in late 2010. Twenty-six percent of North African adults said they would choose to move to another country permanently if they had the chance. Fourteen percent of these potential migrants said they planned to move in the next year.
Since the "Arab Spring" began, an estimated 25,000 mostly Tunisian migrants have fled to Europe to escape the unrest or economic conditions at home only to find themselves in the middle of a battle over open borders in the European Union. Italy -- where most of these migrants are entering the EU -- and France -- where most migrants are reportedly headed -- are at odds on how to deal with the influx. Both are calling for reform of the EU's Schengen border-free travel agreement.
Before some of the barriers that limited people from migrating from Tunisia fell with President Zine el-Abidene Ben Ali's ouster in January, nearly 3 in 10 Tunisian adults (28%) said they would like to migrate permanently to another country. Desire to migrate was similar in other North African countries such as Algeria (31%) and Libya (27%), and slightly lower in Egypt (24%) and Morocco (24%).
GALLUP.COM
