[PDF] Parlemeter 2018. Taking up the challenge

View - Download Parlemeter 2018. Taking up the challenge

Previous PDF

Next PDF

Eurobarometer Survey 90 of the European Parliament

A Public Opinion Monitoring Study

TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE

FROM SILENT SUPPORT TO ACTUAL VOTE

PARLEMETER 2018

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE3

PARLEMETER 2018

TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE

FROM (SILENT) SUPPORT TO ACTUAL VOTE

Eurobarometer Survey 90.1 of the European Parliament

A Public Opinion Monitoring Study

Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Parliament

Directorate-General for Communication

Public Opinion Monitoring Unit

October 2018 - PE

628.262

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE4

IMPRESSUM

AUTHORS

Philipp SCHULMEISTER, Head of Unit (Editor)

Elise DEFOURNY, Luisa MAGGIO, Said HALLAOUY, Matthias BÜTTNER, Alice CHIESA

Bart VAN GASSE

PRODUCTION AND GRAPHICAL SUPPORT

Katarzyna ONISZK, Soa LUCCA, Sandra HERNANDEZ QUIJADA

Manuscript completed in October 2018

Brussels, © European Union, 2018

Cover photo: Shutterstock

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

This paper has been drawn up by the Public Opinion Monitoring Unit within the Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM) of the European Parliament. To contact the Public Opinion Monitoring Unit please write to:

LINGUISTIC VERSION

Original: EN

DISCLAIMER

This document is prepared for, and primarily addressed to, the Members and sta of the European Parlia

ment to assist them in their parliamentary work. The content of the document is the sole responsibility of

its author(s) and any opinions expressed herein should not be taken to represent an ocial position of the

Parliament.

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................

........................................................................................................ 7

CONTEXT

. 11

EVER GREATER SUPPORT TO EU MEMBERSHIP

................................................ 17

Being a member of the EU is a benet for my country, say citizens ... ..................................................................... 21

... and they also say why ...........................................................................................................................................

............................ 23

Strongest support for the Euro since 2004 ........................................................................

...................................................... 24

A view on Brexit and its consequences ........................................................................

............................................................. 27

Democracy works, both in the EU and back home ........................................................................

.................................... 29

Citizens see their voice counts in the EU ........................................................................

.......................................................... 31

Trend reversal for things going in the right direction? ........................................................................

............................. 35

Perceived social inequalities, today and tomorrow ........................................................................

.................................... 39

Stable trends for image and role of the European Parliament ........................................................................

............ 40 TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE: FROM (SILENT) SUPPORT TO ACTUAL VOTE ...................................................... 45

EE19 date: Public awareness is on the rise ........................................................................

....................................................... 45

Voting likeliness and feeling of importance still weak ........................................................................

.............................. 48

Electoral cycle and calendar as inuencing factors ........................................................................

................................... 49

Interest in the European elections: higher than before, yet not at full potential ............................................. 53

Campaign topics: ways to raise the interest? ........................................................................

................................................. 56 AN EU THAT PROTECTS ........................................................................

..................................................................................................... 61

WHAT PRIORITIES FOR THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT? ........................................................................

........................ 65

Combating poverty and social exclusion ........................................................................

......................................................... 66

Combating youth unemployment ........................................................................

....................................................................... 67

Combating terrorism ...........................................................................................................................................

.................................. 67

Finding a common European response to the issue of migration ........................................................................

... 68 VALUES TO SHARE ........................................................................

................................................................................................................. 71

The protection of human rights worldwide ........................................................................

................................................... 72

Equality between men and women ........................................................................

.................................................................... 72

Freedom of speech ...........................................................................................................................................

...................................... 73

Solidarity between Member States ........................................................................

...................................................................... 73

TECHNICAL NOTE ON THE IMPACT OF THE GDPR ........................................................................

..................................... 75 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................................ ...................................................................................... 76

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE6

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

W ith seven months to go, the Parlemeter 2018 shows a growing appreciation of the EU by Europeans and an improved awareness on the forthcoming EP elections. This well-found ed optimism expressed by a silent majority can be the core of a positive European narrative that connects its citizens. One that a broad majority of its citizens could back in a broad majority of Member States, delivering a contrasting narrative to a populist clamour. The Parlemeter 2018 pre- sents the results of the survey as an opportunity to take up the challenge: From (silent) support to actual vote.

More than ever, European citizens see their country"s membership to the EU as a good thing. Not since the

peak recorded between the fall of the Berlin Wall 1989 and the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty 1992 has

this indicator reached as high a level as in the present survey: 62% of respondents on EU average believe that

their country"s membership to the EU is a good thing. A majority of respondents in all 28 Member States also

considers that their country has beneted from its EU membership. This opinion grew since the last survey in

April 2018 by one percentage point and now registers at 68%, the highest result ever measured since 1983.

Asked for the reasons why their country had beneted, on EU average economic factors top the list, together

with the belief that the EU helps to maintain secure relationships with other countries.

Brexit, not the best choice

Nearly all general indicators measuring support for the European Union showed a signicant rming up

in the aftermath of the UK referendum to leave the EU and the still ongoing negotiations between the EU

and the UK on both the withdrawal agreement and the framework of the future relation. The Parlemeter

2018 takes stock of citizens" opinions should a similar referendum to leave the EU be held in their own

country. The positive attitude towards the European Union is clearly reected there: With a convincingly

broad majority of 66% Europeans would vote for their country to remain a member of the EU. Only 17% would vote to leave, with 17 % showing as undecided.

A more ambivalent picture

Trends over time also show a reinforcement of the Europeans" level of satisfaction with the way democracy

works in the EU (49%, +3 since April) - but also in their own country (58%, +3). This result comes together

with a strengthened view by respondents that their voice counts in the EU. For the second time after April

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE8

2018, on EU average 48% of respondents agree with the statement that their voice counts in the EU. How

ever, this stability at EU average is hiding a decreasing trend aecting more than half of EU Member States.

In this vein and in contrast to the positive results from the above-mentioned indicators, other results from

the Parlemeter 2018 also paint a more ambivalent picture. In spite of their signicant support for their

membership to the European Union in general, half of respondents nd that things in the EU are going

in the wrong direction. In a reversal of the trend after its upturn in spring 2018, the share of respondents

believing that things in the EU are going in the wrong direction is increasing to 50% (+8pp), while 52%

(+4pp) believe that their own country is taking the wrong direction. 33% of respondents believe that things are going in the right direction in their country, 28% believe the same for the EU.

Just over half a year ahead of the 2019 European elections, the image of the European Parliament remains

stable. While 32% of respondents hold a positive view of the European Parliament, a relative majority of

citizens remain neutral with 43%. A negative view towards the EP is held only by 21% of respondents.

Equally stable are results on the question whether citizens would like to see a stronger role for the EP in the

future. After rather signicant moves between 2015 and 2017 calling for a stronger role of the EP, opinions

are stabilising on EU average: Today, 48% of respondents would like a more important role for the EP in the

future while 27% would prefer a less important role and 15% see no need for a change.

Against this backdrop, the Parlemeter 2018 returns the highest support for the Euro as common currency

recorded since 2004. On the eve of its 20th anniversary, Europeans conrmed their broad and constant

support for the Euro: 61% on average across all EU countries are in favour of the Euro. This level increases

to even 77% in the euro area itself, a plus of three percentage points since March 2018. The lowest level of

support is recorded in seven countries all outside the euro area.

Bigger awareness about the European elections

The 2018 Parlemeter also takes a closer look at citizens" views on the upcoming European Parliament

elections, showing an overall increased awareness about the next ballot while painting a multi-coloured

picture of opinions and attitudes about the elections. In September 2018, 41% of Europeans could call

the correct date for the European elections in 2019, an unprecedented 9 point-increase over the last six

months on EU average, boosted by two-digit improvements in ten Member States. It must be noted - and

seen as wake-up call, that at the same time on average 44% (-6 pp) of Europeans could still not say when

the next European elections would take place. In addition, the expressed likelihood to vote in the next

European elections remains extremely stable since April 2018. In September 2018, 31% say they would

certainly vote (scoring 10 on a scale from 1 to 10) and another 18% would be likely to do so (scoring 8 or

9). Conversely, 33% say that they will most likely not participate in the ballot (scoring between 1 to 5).

In September 2018, 51% of the citizens declare to be interested in the forthcoming European elections,

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE9

overall stable in a majority of Member States yet within a very wide range of expressed levels of interest.

Citizens" campaign priorities, on the other hand, have evolved over the past six-month period. Today, immi

gration (50%), economy and growth (47%) as well as combatting youth unemployment (47%) top the list

of Europeans" most salient campaign topics. Terrorism moves down the list from rst to fourth at 44% (-5

points). Here again, it is indispensable to look behind the European average gures at the national results,

as the order of topics not only changes subject according to international context but even more so in the

context of the various national settings. Asked about policy topics citizens would want the European Parliament to give priority to, economic

and social issues come out top, together with the ght against terrorism. With a stable 41% of citations,

combating poverty and social exclusion is the rst most cited item, followed by youth unemployment

(33%, +2). The results are thus quite in line with the campaign priority topics as expressed by respondents.

When it comes to the values to be defended by Parliament as matter of priority, 46% of Europeans choose

protection of human rights worldwide, followed by equality between men and women (40%), freedom of speech (38%) and solidarity between Member States (30%).

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE10

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE11

CONTEXT

As with every survey of this kind, understanding context at a national, European and international level is

key to a proper placement and thus understanding of the results. On Wednesday 12 September 2018, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, delivered his last State of the Union Address at the European Parliament 1 . This speech came ahead of the

2019 European elections and in the midst of the ongoing debate about the future of the European Union

at 27.

Economic recovery

President Juncker started his address in Strasbourg underlining that “ ten years after Leh man Brothers, Europe has largely turned the page on an economic and nancial crisis which came from outside but which cut deep at home. Europe"s economy has now grown for 21 con secutive quarters .Jobs have returned, with almost 12 million new jobs created since 2014. 2

Indeed, according to Eurostat

3 , the EU28 unemployment rate was 6,8% in August 2018, stable compared with July 2018 and down from 7,5% in August 2017. This remains the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since April 2008. Among Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in August 2018 were recorded in the Czech Re-

public (2,5%), Germany and Poland (both 3,4%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece

(19,1% in June 2018) and Spain (15,2%). Compared to a year ago, unemployment rate fell in all EU Member

States. The largest decreases were registered in Cyprus (from 10,5% to 7,5%), Croatia (from 10,9% to 8,5%),

Greece (from 21,3% to 19,1% between June 2017 and June 2018) and Portugal (from 8,8% to 6,8%). Furthermore, this summer, Greece has turned a new page by bringing the stability programme to a suc

cessful close. The solidarity shown by the European partners and the eorts of the Greek people have laid

the basis for this sustainable upturn. 1

State of the Union 2018: The hour of European sovereignty, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/state-union-speech-

es/state-union-2018_en 2

State of the Union 2018: The hour of European sovereignty, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/state-union-speech-

es/state-union-2018_en 3 b905a7e8

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE12

Spitzenkandidaten process

Nine months ahead of the European Elections 2019, and just over a year before a new European Com mission takes over from Juncker"s team, the race to become the next European Commission president formally began in September. Several candidates have ocially announced than they would seek the nomination of their European party to become its ocial

Spitzenkandidat

. First established in 2014 during the selection process that saw Juncker emerge as President of the European Commission, this renewed

Spitzenkandidat process aims again at ensuring that, based on the results of the European elections, a

lead candidate will be elected President of the Commission by the European Parliament, after being for-

mally proposed by heads of state or government, who will take account of the outcome of the European elections. In February, the European Parliament conrmed its position to only elect a Spitzenkandidat as Commission President 4 . At the time, Members warned that Parliament will be ready to reject any candi date who was not appointed as a ‘Spitzenkandidat" in the run-up to the European elections.

Brexit

As for the United Kingdom and the ongoing Brexit negotiations, despite some progress on post-Brexit

security and defence arrangements between Britain and the European Union, the issue of the Irish border

and trade ties remained unresolved. At the informal meeting of the European Council in Salzburg (18-19

September), while the United Kingdom and the European Union both maintain that a deal is the most likely outcome, EU 27 leaders reconrmed their full unity in contrast with UK"s political class. After the Salzburg summit, the decisive moment for Brexit negotiations will be probably the October

meeting of the European Council. Another, extraordinary summit meeting in November is likely, leaving

just enough time for a ratication process by EU Member States and the European Parliament. Until then,

the UK and the EU hope to have solved all remaining open issues in order to nd agreement on the With

drawal Agreement and a political declaration on the framework for the future relationship, thus avoiding

the risk of a no-deal Brexit.

On 14 March 2018, the European Parliament adopted, with 544 votes in favour and 110 against, a resolu

tion 5 setting out its position on Brexit. The text makes clear that the United Kingdom cannot receive the same benets from the European Union when it is no longer a member. 4 guage=EN#BKMD-5 5 guage=EN

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE13

Migration

Along with Brexit, migration has dominated the European news of the last months. The Austrian gov

ernment has made this issue a top priority of its European Union Council presidency. Three years after

Europe"s biggest inux of migrants and refugees since the Second World War, and although the number

of migrants arriving in the European Union has sharply declined from their 2015-16 peak, divergences of

opinion between EU Member States over how to handle irregular immigration from outside the EU welled up again this summer.

Especially southern EU countries (including Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain) increasingly highlighted

that the burden of coping with migration ows from outside the EU (including people risking their lives to

cross the Mediterranean Sea by boat) falls disproportionately upon them as direct border countries. At the

Salzburg informal summit (18-19 September), EU leaders discussed the latest developments in this com

plex area. Taking note that the number of irregular arrivals of migrants had been reduced, the heads of

state or government agreed to deepen their migration cooperation with Egypt and other African coun tries, ght illegal migration and strengthen the external borders.

The European Parliament, for its part, had several times called for an overhaul to ensure a robust, fair sys

tem for the future and urged EU governments to reach a common position on the revamp of the Dublin system 6

Terrorism

The number of terrorist attacks resulting in fatalities in the European Union has considerably decreased

over the last months. While the reinforced cooperation between EU countries on information sharing

might have helped to prevent further attacks, stop them or limit their impact, continuous vigilance re-

mains required.

Data protection

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), adopted in April 2016 at EU level, applies fully in all EU

Member States as of 25 May 2018. The rules aim to protect all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches in

an increasingly data-driven world, while creating a clearer and more consistent framework for businesses.

These stronger rules will allow EU citizens to have more control over their personal data while protecting

them from abuse. 6 Parliament adopted its position in November 2017: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?-

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE14

Natural disasters

The summer of 2018 saw unpredictable weather events moving from one extreme to the other, causing both heatwaves and ooding in various European countries. An intense heat wave swept over Europe,

triggering deadly res in several Member States. In Greece, a state of emergency was declared. Roaring

temperatures and weeks of drought contributed to major wildres in Sweden, Latvia, the United Kingdom,

Spain and Portugal. Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the UK were aected by

heavy rain, with hail, snow and strong winds in some areas between 29 April and 30 April. Later this sum

mer, several countries in central Europe were hit by severe ooding. Extreme rainfall caused rivers across

the region, particularly Danube and Elbe, to break their banks. People living in aected regions in Austria,

Bulgaria Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia were evacuated from their homes. A summer of temperature extremes with record heat waves and extreme rainfall and ooding keeps the debate about climate change and its consequences also in Europe fully alive. Climate change is gradually becoming understood as something that might impact on many aspects of Europeans" lives.

Elections and other political developments

During the past months, several elections and major political changes took place across the EU. On 21 May,

Italy"s anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right League proposed Giuseppe Conte, a civil

lawyer and academic, as the country"s new Prime Minister to lead their government. A few days later, on

1 June, Giuseppe Conte was sworn in as Prime Minister of Italy after a last-ditch coalition deal had ended

months of political deadlock and narrowly avoided snap elections. The government won condence votes in the Senate (171-117) on June 5 and the Chamber of Deputies (350-236) on June 6. A motion of no condence in the Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy (PP) was held between 31 May and 1 June 2018. Mariano Rajoy, who refused to resign before the vote, became the rst Spanish Prime Minister to be ousted by a no-condence motion, while Pedro Sanchez (PSOE) became the rst Spanish Prime Minister to be appointed without previously having won an election. The motion passed with 180 deputies voting in favour and 169 against (one abstained).

Furthermore, on 14 May, a new president of Catalonia, Joaquim Torra, was voted in, by the slimmest of mar-

gins, with 66 votes to 65, with four abstentions, ending months of political stalemate and legal wrangles

over the formation of the region"s government. In his investiture speech, Torra called Carlos Puigdemont,

who ed the country shortly after the unilateral declaration of independence in October last year, the true

President of Catalonia.

General elections were held in Sweden on Sunday 9 September 2018 to elect the members of the

Riksdag.

With all ballots counted, the governing centre-left coalition came out marginally ahead of the centre-right

PARLEMETER 2018: TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE15

Alliance, with around 40% each. The Sweden Democrats (SD) have won about 18% of the vote, up from

lost a vote of condence in the Riksdag. Having been Prime Minister for four years, he will continue in a

caretaker role until a new government can be formed that has a majority support in the Riksdag.

mentary elections held in Slovenia on 3 June 2018. Almost three months later, on 17 August, Slovenia"s

parliament approved former comedian Marjan Sarec as new Prime Minister, after ve parties had joined

forces to keep SDS out of power. The elections had originally expected to be held on 10 June 2018, but

after the resignation of Prime Minister Miro Cerar on 14 March 2018 all parties had called for snap elections.

in October 2017 but lacked a majority, had been ruling in a caretaker capacity since January when his

one-party minority cabinet lost a condence vote in the lower house. During the month of August, tens of thousands of Romanians who live and work across Europe gathered

in the centre of Bucharest to protest against alleged government corruption. While similar demonstrations

took place in every major city in Romania, only in the capital police resorted to force. Romania has been

seeing frequent protests over the past eighteen months. During the eldwork of this present survey, the European Parliament voted on 12 September in favour

of triggering an Art.7 procedure against Hungary. After a lively debate with Prime Minister Viktor Orban

in plenary, Parliament voted for the rst time to trigger this procedure against a EU Member State. On 8

May, Viktor Orban had been re-elected as Prime Minister by the Hungarian parliament, starting his third

consecutive and fourth overall term as leader of Hungary.quotesdbs_dbs17.pdfusesText_23

[PDF] eurogulf certificate attestation

[PDF] euronews audience figures

[PDF] euronews european news channels

[PDF] euronews farsi

[PDF] euronews media kit 2020

[PDF] europe 1200 mount and blade

[PDF] europe 1200 warband

[PDF] europe countries and regions

[PDF] europe energy consumption

[PDF] europe enters the middle ages

[PDF] europe flight cancellations

[PDF] europe in 1200 ad map

[PDF] europe in 1200 bc

[PDF] europe in 1200 ce

[PDF] europe in 1200 map