On Wednesday 6 December, six months to the day before the June 2024 elections, the European Parliament unveiled the results of a Eurobarometer survey showing growing interest among Europe’s citizens.
According to the survey, which was carried out by the Verian agency between September and October among 26,500 people across the European Union, 60% of those questioned in a face-to-face interview believe that their country’s membership of the EU is a good thing. There are differences between Member States: the satisfaction rate is 85% in Luxembourg and 81% in Ireland, but falls to 42% in Austria and 43% in Italy. 72% of those questioned believe that their country has benefited from being a member of the EU.
With regard to the forthcoming European elections, 57% of the panel expressed an interest, and 68% said they would be prepared to vote if the European elections were held the following week. This level of intention is 9% higher than that observed five years earlier, when the 2019 European elections saw an upturn in voter turnout.
The President of EU Parliament, Roberta Metsola, described the results as “very encouraging” in a video message. “Democracy cannot be taken for granted” and must be protected by going to the polls next June, she stressed.
In thematic terms, the citizens questioned ranked the fight against poverty and social exclusion (36%), public health (34%), action against climate change and support for the economy and job creation (29%) at the top of the list of priorities for the European Parliament. Migration and asylum management is only in ninth place (18%), although it is in greater demand.
To see the results of the Eurobarometer survey: https://aeur.eu/f/9zc
Between January and May 2024, the European Parliament will launch an information campaign to explain the results achieved by the European Parliament during the 2019-2024 legislative cycle and the importance of going out to vote next June. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)