Confidence in the EU falls across the euro area against the background of long-term crisis, but this is especially noticeable in countries that were forced to adopt the new macro-economic guidelines, that is, take the path of austerity.
While in 2008 almost 75% of respondents stated that they trust the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, this figure fell to 25% by the end of 2013. However, after the acute phase of the crisis in 2014, the trust was to return again to the citizens of the EU, but still remains very low.
A few weeks ago, the American Pew Research Center released the results of a survey, conducted at the beginning of 2015, in the most densely populated countries in Europe: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain and Poland. The results show that the proportion of those, who trust the EU institutions, is still below 50%.
In addition, it was found out that the confidence has fallen not only to EU institutions but to national government institutions as well, with the exception of the Nordic countries. At the time, the situation in the south has not changed even despite the crisis: the share of those who trust in the EU was higher than the share of supporters of the national government. At the same time in the northern countries of the EU, which are the main engines of economic growth in the region, the confidence of citizens to the national government has dramatically increased in recent years, while the credibility of the EU institutions remains low.
All this testifies to the key changes in the minds of Europeans:
- The number of people, who have been associating EU with the idea of economic prosperity and democracy, has decreased, while a growing number of Europeans acknowledges the European Union as a synonymous to unemployment;
- Dissatisfaction with the current format of democracy at the national and European level is growing among europeans.
Appetite for further integration is now significantly different in different European countries. Given that supranational governments have more thrust in the Southern countries, unlike the Nordic countries, the momentum for further integration should go to the south.
While in 2008 almost 75% of respondents stated that they trust the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, this figure fell to 25% by the end of 2013. However, after the acute phase of the crisis in 2014, the trust was to return again to the citizens of the EU, but still remains very low.
A few weeks ago, the American Pew Research Center released the results of a survey, conducted at the beginning of 2015, in the most densely populated countries in Europe: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain and Poland. The results show that the proportion of those, who trust the EU institutions, is still below 50%.
In addition, it was found out that the confidence has fallen not only to EU institutions but to national government institutions as well, with the exception of the Nordic countries. At the time, the situation in the south has not changed even despite the crisis: the share of those who trust in the EU was higher than the share of supporters of the national government. At the same time in the northern countries of the EU, which are the main engines of economic growth in the region, the confidence of citizens to the national government has dramatically increased in recent years, while the credibility of the EU institutions remains low.
All this testifies to the key changes in the minds of Europeans:
- The number of people, who have been associating EU with the idea of economic prosperity and democracy, has decreased, while a growing number of Europeans acknowledges the European Union as a synonymous to unemployment;
- Dissatisfaction with the current format of democracy at the national and European level is growing among europeans.
Appetite for further integration is now significantly different in different European countries. Given that supranational governments have more thrust in the Southern countries, unlike the Nordic countries, the momentum for further integration should go to the south.
