Pew survey shows a split in EU favorability

The swirling waters of the European Union perhaps do not have to fear the far right parties shall have their go in braking up the European Union.

The British went to the polls at a time when a new multi-nation survey from Pew Research Center, conducted in 10 EU nations among 10,491 respondents from April 4 to May 12, 2016, found that Euroskepticism is on the rise across Europe and that about two-thirds of both the British and the Greeks, along with significant minorities in other key nations, want some powers returned from Brussels to national governments. The survey includes countries that account for 80% of the EU-28 population and 82% of the EU’s GDP.

Whether favourable or not toward Brussels, most Europeans agreed that a British exit would harm the 28-member EU and today we can all see the damage the vote has brought to the Union as well as to Great Britain itself, which could come in a more awkward predicament.

A median of just 51% across 10 EU countries surveyed have a favorable view of the European Union. A median of 42% in these 10 nations want more power returned to their national capitals, while only 19% favor giving Brussels more power and 27% favor the status quo. Nevertheless, a median of 70% in the nine EU nations surveyed that don’t get a vote June 23 believe it would be bad for the EU if the UK decided to depart. Only 16% say it would be a good thing.

The research and the reactions of the last few months showed clearly that it is high time that the EU does something to her image and stature. In a number of nations the portion of the public with a favourable view of the Brussels-based institution fell markedly from 2012 to 2013 as the European economy cratered. It subsequently rebounded in 2014 and 2015. But the EU is again experiencing a sharp dip in public support in a number of its largest member states.

After the defeat in Great Britain it was  made clear by the youngsters they are really more in favour to the Union than the elderly.
The generation gap is most pronounced in France – 25 percentage points – with 56% of young people but only 31% of older people having a positive opinion of the EU. There are similar generation gaps of 19 points in the UK, 16 points in the Netherlands, 14 points in Poland and Germany, and 13 points in Greece.
In France the question isn’t one of national autonomy. There’s a lot of support for returning powers to the national government, but less so than in many pro-EU nations. In France, EU backing among those ages 50 and older fell 19 points. In Spain it declined 16 points and in Germany 11 points. In each case this was larger than the decline in support among those ages 18 to 34.

Old enemy of Great Britain, France is the only one country where more than a quarter (32%) of the public found it positive for the EU if the UK departed.

 

Read more about it: Euroskepticism Beyond Brexit

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Preceding articles

Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism

Brexit clashes and reasons to consider to bring out the right vote

Backing the wrong horse

Brexit, Nexit, Vlexit and Frexit

Foreign workers and immigrants

Could Brexit lead to Frexit – or Czexit?