Almost half of Europeans do not trust the EU

The Standard Eurobarometer (EB90) survey of autumn 2018, a survey conducted in the Member States, shows, according to the European Commission, that confidence in the EU remains stable: more than 4 out of 10 EU citizens claim to be "rather confident" in the EU.

 

 

 

The opinion study is conducted twice a year, commissioned and coordinated by the European Commission. This one was conducted between November 8th and 22nd, 2018.

 

 

 

More than 4 out of 10 Europeans trust the European Union (42%, unchanged from spring 2018, the highest level since autumn 2010). Almost half of Europeans have "rather no confidence" in the European Union (48%, unchanged from spring 2018) and 1 in 10 answers "do not know" (10%).

 

 

 

Confidence in the EU dominates in 17 EU Member States (up from 15 in the spring of 2018). The highest proportions are in Lithuania (65%), Denmark (60%) and Sweden (59%). More than half of the respondents also indicate that they "have some confidence" in the EU in the Netherlands (57%), Malta (56%), Portugal (55%), Estonia and Bulgaria. (53% in these two countries), Luxembourg, Finland and Belgium (52% in these countries), as well as in Germany (51%).

 

 

 

In contrast, the lowest proportions are recorded in Greece (26%), the United Kingdom (31%) and the Czech Republic (32%). Overall, a majority of respondents "rather not trust" in the EU in 10 countries.

 

 

 

At the national level, confidence in the EU grew in 12 Member States compared to the spring of 2018. The largest increases were in Sweden (59%, +8 percentage points) and the Netherlands (57%, + 7). It has declined in 13 Member States, particularly in Slovenia (37%, -7) and remains unchanged in Estonia, Latvia and Italy. Compared to the spring of 2018, the proportion of respondents who have a positive image of the EU has grown in 17 Member States. The highest proportions of respondents with a negative image of the EU are in Greece (35%), the Czech Republic (32%), the United Kingdom, Italy and France (27% in these countries). 

 

 

 

Detailed results available in English, German and French on ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/survey/getsurveydetail/instruments/standard/surveyky/2215