Immigration and climate change, main concerns of Europeans

Immigration (34%) and climate change (22%) lead the concerns of European citizens, above the economic situation (18%), terrorism (15%) or unemployment (12%), according to the latest Eurobarometer published yesterday by the European Commission. In the case of our country, Spaniards cite immigration (37%) and the economic situation (23%) in the first place, although the fight against climate change (21%) also worries more Spaniards than unemployment (18%) and terrorism (15%).

The survey also shows that confidence in the EU has increased by nine percentage points in Spain to 47% and by two points in the total number of EU countries and in the five candidate countries, to 44%, the highest level since 2014. Data collected in the study conducted between June 7 and July 1 among more than 27,400 citizens after the European elections in May show levels of confidence in the EU that rise to 72% in Lithuania, 68% in Denmark and 60% in Estonia.

On the other hand, Greeks (66%), British and French (56%), Czechs and Italians (55% in both cases), Slovenians (50%), and Croats (48%) distrust the EU more. All of them, in addition to Slovakia, have more citizens who distrust those who trust the EU.

The United Kingdom (31%), Greece (28%), the Czech Republic (27%) and France (24%) are the countries with the highest percentage of citizens with the most negative image of the EU, while in twelve countries 50% or more have, instead, a positive image of it. These are Ireland (63%), Romania and Portugal (60%), Bulgaria (59%), Luxembourg (57%), Denmark and Poland (54%), Hungary (52%), Lithuania (53%), Germany (51%) and Sweden and the Netherlands (50%).

The survey also revealed that Spain is one of the countries in which European sentiment is the most majority, with 87% of respondents claiming to feel they are EU citizens compared to the European average of 73% (two percentage points more since autumn 2018), and with 80% of Spaniards who would like to know more about their community rights, compared to 68% in the rest of Europe.

Support for the single currency has also reached a record high among eurozone countries. 76% of respondents are in favor (nine points more since spring 2014). At the global level of the EU, support for the euro remains stable at 62%, 82% for Spain, although the free movement of goods and citizens is the benefit best seen both among all Europeans (81%) and among Spaniards (91%).

Positive views on the situation of national economies remain predominant. 49% consider the situation to be good, while 47% believe it is bad. The majority of respondents in seventeen member states say that the national economic situation is good. Luxembourg (94%), Denmark (91%) and the Netherlands (90%) are the countries with the highest scores, while the partners with the lowest percentage of positive opinions are Greece (7%), Croatia and Bulgaria (20% in both cases), Italy (22%) and Spain (26%).

61% of Europeans are optimistic about the future of the European Union, a percentage that rises to 68% among Spaniards. The most optimistic about the future of the European project are the Irish (85%), Danes (79%) and Lithuanians (76%). On the other hand, the most pessimistic about the future of the Union are the Greeks (51%), British (45%), French (45%), Czechs (43%) and Italians (38%), a percentage that falls to 26% among Spaniards, which is below the average (34%) in the EU.

Source: Reason