Brussels, 16/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - A European Parliament survey published on Friday 13 February reveals that most European citizens are happy with “the role that the European Parliament played in the election of the new Commission President”, a Parliament press release says.
According to the 2014 Parlameter survey, “more Europeans now feel that their voice counts in EU-level decision making” and over half the respondents said that EU membership is a good thing. The survey was conducted against the record low turnout in the European elections of May 2014 - 42.54%, compared with 43% in 2009.
The survey found that: - 58% of respondents had heard about Parliament recently (up 11 points compared with 2013); - the image of Parliament was 30% positive (stable), 43% neutral (+1 point) and 23% negative (-2 points); - 67% did not feel well informed about Parliament's work (+1 point compared to November 2011); - 63% agreed that taking the EU election results into account when electing the Commission president constitutes democratic progress, whereas 18% disagreed and 19% did not know.
According to this survey, 41% felt that their voice counts in the EU (+2 points). The people's preferred policy priorities for the EU were tackling poverty and social exclusion 54% (+3 points.), economic, budgetary and taxation policy coordination 31% (+1 point), consumer and health protection 30% (-3 points), and combatting terrorism and respecting individual freedom 29% (+4 points). A final statistic: 54% (+4 points) thought that EU membership is a good thing, 14% (-3%) considered it bad, while 29% (-2 points.) did not state an opinion.
The survey was conducted on a sample of 27,801 people between 29 November and 9 December. (Solenn Paulic)