A majority of Europeans want an EU that can act stronger globally.
Publicado en el boletín de The European Correspondent, el 9 de febrero de 2026
That’s the conclusion of two new polls. 89% of Europeans say that EU member states should be more united, and almost as many think that the EU should have a stronger voice on the international level.
Twice a year, the European Parliament creates the Eurobarometer poll. In November 2025, it polled 26,453 EU citizens in all member states to find out what Europeans think about their continent.
The results of the poll
62% of Europeans support their country’s membership in the EU as a good thing. That’s consistent: for 10 years now, over 60% of Europeans hold favourable views towards EU membership. Even though that figure varies per country, there’s no member state where a majority disproves of EU membership.
Especially young people express strong support for a united and ambitious EU: while 74% of 15-24 year olds view EU membership is a good thing, only 58% of 55+ year olds think so.
Meanwhile, another opinion poll by YouGov shows large majorities in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Great Britain holding an unfavourable view of the US. Trump’s attempted takeover of Greenland focused Western Europeans’ minds: majorities in all countries think that European autonomy should be prioritised over preserving the transatlantic alliance in its current form.
While willing to boost national defence spending (except Italy and Spain), Europeans in those six countries don’t want the EU to ease restrictions on hate speech or disband the EU – demands by the Trump administration.
If the EU-US relationship fully breaks down, between 46% and 63% support giving the EU greater decision-making powers and capacity, significantly more than those who oppose this.
Julius E. O. Fintelmann and Sebastian Gräff
What stood out to me (albeit not surprised me) is that a majority of respondents say they are pessimistic about the future of the world, and almost a quarter say they view their own future as negative. Over 80% of Europeans think that their standard of living will either decrease or not change. Taken together, these numbers form a clear task for European leaders: we need to gain back optimism by building a stronger Europe.