Austria more tolerant 'except on topic of Islam'
Austrians consider themselves to be increasingly tolerant when it comes to sexuality, race and gender - but not on the topic of Islam, according to a new survey.
The survey, carried out by the meinungsraum.at institute on behalf of the Mauthausen Committee showed that 72 percent of those polled saw themselves as tolerant, although 60 percent believed their compatriots were largely intolerant.
Christina Matzka, from meinungsraum.at, said the results clearly showed that Austria “is definitely becoming more tolerant”.
One thousand people filled in an online questionnaire. 78 percent said they would not mind if a family member came out as homosexual. 77 percent said they had no problem with lesbian same sex-marriage, and 71 percent were tolerant of gay same-sex marriage. But only 59 percent said they approved of two gay men adopting a child.
Regarding racism, 82 percent said they had no problem visiting an African-born dentist, and 79 percent said they were happy to be operated on by a Turkish-born surgeon.
Only ten percent said they felt uncomfortable with a woman for a boss.
Questioned on the topic of Islam, 65 percent said they would be against a family member converting to Islam, and 64 percent did not want a mosque in their neighbourhood.
42 percent said they were opposed to a Buddhist centre being built in their neighbourhood.
Willi Mernyi, chairman of the Mauthausen Committee, said that overall the results were very positive and that he was delighted: "The more tolerant people are, the less they are susceptible to authoritarian patterns of action."
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The survey, carried out by the meinungsraum.at institute on behalf of the Mauthausen Committee showed that 72 percent of those polled saw themselves as tolerant, although 60 percent believed their compatriots were largely intolerant.
Christina Matzka, from meinungsraum.at, said the results clearly showed that Austria “is definitely becoming more tolerant”.
One thousand people filled in an online questionnaire. 78 percent said they would not mind if a family member came out as homosexual. 77 percent said they had no problem with lesbian same sex-marriage, and 71 percent were tolerant of gay same-sex marriage. But only 59 percent said they approved of two gay men adopting a child.
Regarding racism, 82 percent said they had no problem visiting an African-born dentist, and 79 percent said they were happy to be operated on by a Turkish-born surgeon.
Only ten percent said they felt uncomfortable with a woman for a boss.
Questioned on the topic of Islam, 65 percent said they would be against a family member converting to Islam, and 64 percent did not want a mosque in their neighbourhood.
42 percent said they were opposed to a Buddhist centre being built in their neighbourhood.
Willi Mernyi, chairman of the Mauthausen Committee, said that overall the results were very positive and that he was delighted: "The more tolerant people are, the less they are susceptible to authoritarian patterns of action."
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