Now it is not a good time for Europe, the euro and the European integration. There is someone who wants to exit, someone who is negotiating EU membership, some threaten a referendum to leave EU or the euro, eurosceptic parties win elections in different member states. However, most respondents declared to be in favor to Europe and euro in a survey by the German think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung.
What is lacking, as EU citizens respodents said in the survey, is a greater EU political integration and there are fears EU is going in the wrong direction.
EU citizens: Yes to Europe, euro and EU integration
At least between people consulted in the study, 71% declared that in the hypotesis of a referendum today on EU they would vote in favor to European membership for their countries. Regarding the monetary union, 63% would choose to continue to use it. EU citizens would support also an increase of political and economic integration (59% of respodents, 64 % among people living in the euro zone).
However it is strong the EU citizens critical feeling toward the EU policymaking: 72% of them think EU is going in wrong direction. This result is driven by people living in euro area, 77%.
This dissatisfaction is accompaning also negative feeling on national politics in the EU 28 member states, with 68% of people thinking that policymaking in their own country is on the wrong path.
The media role is crucial for the knowledge of Europe and its politics, despite the continous critics on EU way to communicate, 68% of respondents seem to be well informed on EU politics ( 74% in EU area) .
The fact that the President of the European Commission is , for the first time, the result of political elections, made known to public opinion that Jean Claude Juncker is EU Commission leader and Martin Schulz President of European Parliament.
While there is still a lack of knowledge on the European Council and European Central Bank roles, only the 34% know who are Donald Tusk and Mario Draghi. While the Italian Premier Mattero Renzi (32%) and Mariano Rajoy (22%) are almost unknown.
Not surprisingly, Angela Merkel (83%) , the UK Prime Minister David Cameron (75%) and Hollande (63%) are the most known politicians.
EU tasks according with citizens perception
In EU citizens opinion ensuring peace and security should be at the top of EU priorites (61%) , economic growth (53%), reducing social inequality (47%) and immigration issues (42%). Nowadays some countries close, even if temporaly, their borders to refugees and EU migrants. However it is the freedom of movement to be ther most important EU achievement appreciated by EU citizens, according to the survey. Also the free trade and the mantainement of peace are EU achievements really appreciated by citizens. Furthermore regarding reforms in the EU, a large majority of respondents declares to be in favor of a referendum, but they do not support joint election of a president.
The role of Germany on EU policymaking divides EU citizens: with 55% of them thiking that it is great or very great to have Germany as a leader, while the remaining 45% think it is inappropriate for Germany to play a leadership role.
Germany supporters are mainly its bordering countries like Poland (67%) and France (65%). Also British people are in favor of a German leadership with 48% of respondents.
On the contrary, Italy is the EU country with the lowest approval levels to Germany leadership, followed by Spain.
Now it is not a good time for Europe, the euro and the European integration. There is someone who wants to exit, someone who is negotiating EU membership, some threaten a referendum to leave EU or the euro, eurosceptic parties win elections in different member states. However, most respondents declared to be in favor to Europe and euro in a survey by the German think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung.
What is lacking, as EU citizens respodents said in the survey, is a greater EU political integration and there are fears EU is going in the wrong direction.
