Citizens don’t want to leave the EU, but fewer remain convinced by the Parliament

Brussels – The European Union? A good thing, so much so that the desire to “exit” is no longer registered around Europe. However, they are not so convinced about its institutions, starting with the Parliament. The new Eurobarometer survey, commissioned by the European Parliament in preparation for the State of the Union address that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will deliver next week (10 September), reveals a divided citizenship, characterized by a mix of disappointment and enthusiasm, mistrust and satisfaction.

One in two citizens likes the EU; confidence in the Parliament is lower

The first figure that stands out is the view people have of the EU project: just 52 percent of respondents say they have a “positive” view of the EU. To these figures are added those of the indifferent (32 percent) and those who express a negative opinion (16 percent). The European Parliament often emphasises that declared Eurosceptics represent only a small minority. However, the fact remains that only half of Europeans view the European Union positively. When looking at the EU Parliament, the only directly elected European institution, the approval rating drops even further, with 41 percent having a favorable opinion compared to 18 percent having an unfavorable opinion and 39 percent saying they have a “neutral” opinion.

It is unclear whether the damage to the Parliament’s image was a consequence of the Qatargate scandal that erupted in late 2022, and continued into this year, and probably also by the specter of corruption associated with the Huawei case. Or perhaps, on the contrary, how the institution has dealt with the matter, flattening itself on the positions of the Belgian judiciary (which has not yet led to any trial) and without protecting the dignity of Parliament, has had an adverse impact.

The EU is a good thing; nobody wants to leave

 In any case, being part of the European Union is generally considered a positive thing, and practically everyone shares this view. The lowest figure of those responding that twelve-star membership is a good thing is in Bulgaria, standing at 58 percent, followed by Austria at 60 percent. There is a majority, even a solid one, in support of EU membership, and that is what brings a sigh of relief. 

“In times of uncertainty, citizens see the European Union as an element of stability,” said the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. “Citizens expect a strong and united European voice in today’s uncertain world. Our priorities and the EU’s next long-term budget must therefore allow the Union to tackle new geopolitical realities,” she added.

Italians are among the most Eurosceptical

 Mixed views on the EU and its Parliament reveal a distinctly Italian trend: Italians stand out for their distrust and disillusionment with the European Union and its institutions. One in three Italians believes the country has not benefited from EU membership. The disapproval rating (32 percent) is the second highest in the entire EU (the highest being Austria’s at 33 percent). It confirms a Eurosceptic trend that has never truly been reversed or corrected.

As for the Parliament, although Italians record the seventh most favorable opinion, with 45 percent of respondents happy with its role, action, and weight, there are practically four out of ten Italians (37 percent) who are indifferent, unable to say whether the EU Parliament is good or bad. Between those who are indifferent and those who disapprove of the Parliament (17 percent), there is therefore a majority of Italians who somehow reject the EU.