Who is satisfied, and who is not
According to the latest Eurobarometer polls, 81% of EU citizens are satisfied with their lives, 4% are dissatisfied, and 15% are not very satisfied. The most optimistic sentiments were recorded among residents of Denmark and Luxembourg. The most pessimistic are Hungarians (13% are completely dissatisfied with life, 36% are not very satisfied). It is also worth noting Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia, where almost half the population is dissatisfied.
Compared with data from five years ago, 44% of citizens of states that recently joined the EU note a deterioration in their situation (above all in Poland and Slovakia), while 30% are convinced that their lives have not changed. In the EU (including the 15 old member states), 30% believe that their lives have become worse, with 44% in Germany. On the other hand, 36% see no changes, and 33% believe that life has become better (53% in Ireland, 48% in Denmark, 47% in Finland).
For the next five years, cautious optimism is forecast in both groups of countries, especially among the youngest citizens. 39% of residents of the 15 old EU countries and 33% of residents of the new EU members expect an improvement in their situation (50% in Greece, Spain and Ireland, 45% in Malta, 39% in Hungary). The number of those who believe their lives will worsen in the future is decreasing (16% in the 15 old countries and 23% in the new ones). This indicator remains high in Germany (31%), as well as among elderly citizens.
Despite cautious optimism about their own lives, there are serious fears of losing social, public and family values. There is no confidence in the future economic development of one's own country due to the rapid evolution of both the economy and technology. In countries that recently joined the EU, economic changes over the past 10 years have caused a deterioration in citizens' economic well-being and the disintegration of the system of social services and social protection. Thus, the gap between rich and poor is widening, causing growing discontent, especially among the less affluent.
Trust in national institutions
Uncertainty about the future also affects the degree of Europeans' trust in their own national institutions. Only 7% of Poles express trust in their own government. Similarly, 19% of Britons and 23% of Germans feel the same way. Among the leaders are citizens of Cyprus (75%), Malta (49%), Finland (59%) and Greece (55%).
National parliaments are trusted by 8% of Poles and 25% of Britons. The most optimistic are Cypriots (74%), Danes and Greeks (63% each).
Only 3% of Polish citizens, 10% of Britons, 11% of Germans, 33% of Malta's residents, 32% of Danes, and 31% of Cypriots and Luxembourgers trust political parties.
The armed forces inspire the greatest trust: 63% of residents of the 15 old EU countries and 58% of new ones gave a positive opinion of their activities. In some cases, the number of satisfied people exceeds 80% — in Finland, Greece, and Cyprus. Only in Hungary does the army not rank among the most highly rated state institutions.
Charitable and voluntary organizations rank second in popularity in the states that recently joined the EU (58% of respondents have a positive attitude toward their activities). In the EU of 15 countries, 61% of respondents gave positive feedback.
The police rank first in the list of the most popular institutions in the 15 old EU members, where 65% of citizens have a positive attitude toward its work (the highest figure is in Finland – 88%, and the lowest in Belgium – 52%). However, the police are not so highly rated among the new EU members: they rank fifth with 42%.
The judiciary and trade unions received radically different assessments: in the 15 old countries, 48% and 36% respectively positively assessed their activities, while in the new EU countries only 27% and 22% hold this view.
A sense of belonging to Europe
The European Union is perceived, first of all, as a community with a shared history and culture, and clearly defined humanistic values. At the same time, such a sense of belonging is not seen to the same degree in all countries. Citizens of southern, central and eastern EU countries have a stronger sense of belonging than citizens from the western and north-western parts. The former feel that they are truly bound to neighboring states by a common history and culture. They use these common roots to emphasize their difference from other communities, especially the United States. Latins, Belgians, Luxembourgers and residents of Central Europe feel an affinity for one another.
Britons, Swedes, Danes, and Dutch do not so actively use historical and cultural ties as a unifying factor within the EU. Rather, they pay attention to the distinctive features of their own society, which they consider more advanced compared to other EU countries. Often, some Estonians and Czechs, although having the same cultural values as other European peoples, feel real closeness only to the most organized and efficient countries.
The sense of belonging to one's own nation not only continues to dominate, but is also becoming more widespread, above all among the new EU members. This process is also observed in Sweden and Austria. This feeling is typical of more than 60% of Finns, Hungarians, and Britons, while the most ardent supporters of a united Europe are citizens of Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, and Malta.
Furthermore, two-thirds of Europeans say they feel attached to Europe. And in all EU countries, membership in this association is perceived more as something positive than negative, at least from an economic and strategic point of view. However, it should also be noted that in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, a quarter of the population cannot make up their minds on this issue. In countries like Britain, Austria or Sweden, the benefits of EU membership are becoming less and less obvious to residents.
The significance of the European Union
For most citizens of the 25 countries of the European Union, it is a symbol of freedom of movement during travel, study and work in any member state. In addition, the EU is associated with the euro. For Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland, the EU is a synonym for peace. For Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, Ireland, the EU is the engine of economic prosperity. The French and Slovenians highlight cultural differences, while for the British the EU means a loss of cultural identity.
Main problems
Unemployment is the main headache for EU citizens. In Germany, Poland and Greece, seven out of 10 people mention this problem during surveys. And in all countries that recently joined the EU, this problem is considered the most important (the only exception is Cyprus, where unemployment is placed fifth on the list of the most pressing problems).
The economic situation is the main problem, according to citizens of Italy, the Netherlands and Malta.
Crime is among the five most important problems in all countries. Austria and Belgium consider it one of the negative consequences of EU enlargement. In Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Cyprus, crime is considered the most significant problem.
Fear of deterioration of the healthcare system is especially common among new members. On the other hand, this issue is considered the most important in Ireland, and Finns and Swedes place it in second place.
Immigration and terrorism, which are the main dangers from the point of view of the Spanish and British, appear at the very end of the list in countries recently admitted to the EU, where there is more concern about the size of pensions and excessively high taxes (on average 10%). The pension issue is also relevant for the Dutch, Austrians and British (more than 20%).
Europeans evaluate themselves
Although there are common values and characteristics in a united Europe, residents of each country or region are proud of their own traditions, history, culture and tend to feel more or less close to others depending on these values. It is these values that also determine the attitude of other peoples towards the population.
The Dutch, Danes and Swedes more often feel themselves on a higher rung of social development compared to the populations of other EU countries; it is believed that it is the residents of these countries who have the most open mentality.
The British and Irish believe that the Anglo-Saxon model is better than any other. Great Britain is recognized by citizens of other EU countries as the state that made the greatest contribution to world history. It is followed by Germany, France, Italy and Russia (it was included in this part of the study, although it is not an EU member). Germans are considered the most efficient nation (five times more efficient than the British). At the same time, Germans are also recognized as the most antipathetic and ill-mannered. In these indicators, they are followed by Russians and French.
Citizens of Mediterranean countries have a high opinion of themselves when it comes to the ability to enjoy life, and other Europeans envy them for it. Italy and Spain are the two countries where Europeans would prefer to live, and it is the citizens of these countries who enjoy the greatest sympathy from other Europeans. Italian cuisine is recognized as the most delicious by a huge margin. It is followed by French, Greek and Spanish. And it is in these countries that the ritual of eating is given the greatest importance. The Portuguese and Spanish more often than others lead a nocturnal lifestyle, while Germans, Austrians and Finns are rather "larks".
Viewed from the outside, EU residents may seem like a fairly homogeneous group, and there is no denying that through belonging to a common supranational structure, they have many common interests and values. Despite this, the peoples that make up the European 'mosaic' differ greatly from each other, and these differences are precisely the foundation of European identity.