Most people across Europe favor separating church and state % who say Religion should be kept separate policies from government separate policies Mandatory church tax
Eight-in-ten adults in Denmark and three-in-four in Austria (76%), for example, say they pay the church tax – responses that indicate a willingness to make the payment, even though the actual shares of Danes and Austrians who pay church taxes may be lower. In both countries, more than half of respondents (76% in Denmark and 56% in Austria) also say religion should be kept separate from government policies.
Most people across Europe favor separating church  | and state  | % who say  | Government policies should  | Religion should be kept separate policies  | support beliefs religious va lues  | from government separate policies  | support and beliefs religious  | Mandatory church tax  | Sweden  | 15%  | 80%  | Finland  | 77  | 20  | Denmark  | 76  | 20  | Germany  | 59  | 40  | Austria  | 56  | 43  | Switzerland  | 54  | 45  | Voluntary church contribution  | Spain  | 75  | Portugal  | 56  | 40  | Italy  | 55  | 43  | No church tax  | 72  | 23  | Belgium  | France  | 68  | 29  | Netherlands  | 68  | 29  | UK  | 60  | 38  | 59  | Norway  | 36  | 56  | Ireland  | Note: Don't know/refused responses are not shown  | Source: Survey conducted ApriH-August 2017 in 15 countries  | See Being Methodology Christian for Western details ApriH-August Europe  | Being Christian in Western Europe  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 