European citizens want the EU to protect them and to act as one

Almost three quarters of EU citizens (74%) believe that their country has benefited from EU membership. This is the highest result ever recorded in a Eurobarometer survey since this question was first asked in 1983. In the current context, respondents cite the EU’s contribution to peace and security (35%) as the main reason why membership is considered beneficial.

In addition, there is a broad consensus among EU citizens that member states should act with greater unity to tackle current global challenges (89%) and that the Union needs more resources to address future challenges (76%).

In the case of Spain, 72% of citizens want the EU to play a more prominent role in dealing with global and security crises, six points above the EU average. 76% believe that Spain has benefited from being part of the EU, slightly above the EU average (74%).

While contributing to peace and security is seen as the main reason why EU membership is beneficial for the EU as a whole, Spaniards rank economic growth as the main benefit (39%). The second most valued benefit is the creation of job opportunities (27%), and peace and security is the third (26%).

A large majority of Spaniards, 93%, also believe that Member States should act with greater unity to tackle today’s global challenges. 85% believe that the Union needs more resources to address future challenges.

Citizens expect the EU to strengthen security and defence and improve competitiveness.

In a rapidly changing geopolitical environment, defence and security (36%), as well as competitiveness, economy and industry (32%), are identified as the areas on which the EU should focus to strengthen its position in the world. These issues were also key at last week’s European Council, where the President of the Parliament called for faster action and greater ambition. While the results on defence and security have remained stable compared to February/March 2024, those related to competitiveness, the economy and industry have increased by five points. These areas are followed by energy independence (27%), food security and agriculture (25%) and education and research (23%).

Economic and security issues are also the areas that citizens want the European Parliament to focus on. Four out of ten Europeans mention inflation, rising prices and the cost of living (43%), followed by EU defence and security (31%), fighting poverty and social exclusion (31%) and supporting the economy and job creation (29%).Inflation, rising prices and the cost of living are the top priority in all age groups, with top results recorded in Portugal (57%), France (56%), Slovakia (56%), Croatia (54%) and Estonia (54%).

In Spain, education and research is considered the main area on which the EU should focus in order to strengthen its position in the global arena (40%). Defence and security, identified as the main area in the EU as a whole, is fifth in Spain, with 20% of respondents mentioning it. This is followed by competitiveness, the economy and industry (30%), food safety and agriculture (26%), and EU values, including democracy and the protection of human rights (24%).

As for the issues that Spaniards want the European Parliament to address, as in the EU average, almost four out of ten (44%) point to inflation, rising prices and the cost of living. This is followed by support for public health (40%), an issue that only 25% of Europeans say is a priority for the European Parliament. Security and defence, in second place in the EU, falls to tenth place in Spain with 14% of mentions.

As the European Parliament’s previous Eurobarometer showed, inflation and the cost of living had already played a key role in the last European elections, and the economic situation remains a central concern for many Europeans. A third of respondents (33%) expect their standard of living to decrease in the next five years, seven points more than in June-July 2024. This is particularly noticeable in France (53%, up eight points) and Germany (47%, up fifteen points).

A third of Spaniards also believe that their standard of living will decrease in the next five years (33%), although 19% expect it to improve, five points more than in the EU as a whole.

Peace and democracy remain core values of the EU.

In terms of the values that Europeans want the European Parliament to defend, peace (45%), democracy (32%) and the protection of human rights inside and outside the EU (22%) top the list. The results for this question have remained stable, demonstrating citizens’ strong support for the EU’s founding values and principles.

Two thirds of citizens support a stronger role for the European Parliament.

Historical evidence shows that in times of crisis, citizens look to the EU for decisive action and solutions. When the EU is perceived as united and effective, indicators of support are high, as is the case today. 50% of respondents have a positive image of the EU. In the last decade, this positive perception was only higher (52%) in spring 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The positive image of the European Parliament remains high (41%). Shortly after the start of the legislature, more than six out of ten citizens (62%) would like a more relevant role for the European Parliament, which represents an increase of six percentage points compared to February-March 2024, a few months before the European elections in June 2024.

38% of Spaniards have a positive image of the European Parliament, a percentage that has remained stable since June-July 2024, while 78% would like it to have a more important role, two points higher than a year ago and significantly above the European average.

More information: European Parliament