One month away from the French presidency of the Council of the European Union, how do the French perceive Europe? According to the Viavoice * barometer for France Télévisions, Radio France and France Médias Monde published Wednesday, December 1, the French surveyed believe that the EU is weakening, that solidarity needs to be consolidated, at the risk that the EU may not be able to face certain issues (climate crisis, economic crisis, health crisis … ). Despite several expectations and disappointments, the majority believe that the EU remains an essential political project to guarantee peace.
They consider the future of the EU uncertain
According to the Viavoice barometer, the French surveyed are suspicious of the future of the EU. Economically, only 33% think that the economic situation will improve in the coming months and the majority do not think that Brussels will improve their living and working conditions (26% believe, on the contrary, that it does). In an unstable geopolitical context, marked recently by the withdrawal of the Americans in Afghanistan or the crisis of the Australian submarines, only 26% think that the place of the European Union in the world will improve.
At the question “For you, the European Union should first be …”, 24% of respondents answered “an economic project to influence the international scene” while 21% respond “a project geared towards citizens of all member countries”. In addition, 44% of respondents say they have “rather confident” in the future of the EU and 7% “completely confident”.
However, only 28% of those polled want France to leave the EU and 26% of the monetary union. 37% of them do not want “not at all” for France to leave the EU. Among the people who want a “Frexit”, 36% are between 35 and 49 years old.
They regret the lack of solidarity
The uncertainty about the future of the European Union is partly explained by a weakened solidarity between the member states, where national interests seem to take precedence over the overall agreement, according to the study. As such, 49% of those polled think that solidarity within the EU will deteriorate in the coming months and only 24% anticipate the opposite (19% think that it will remain stationary).
Among the most optimistic respondents, 20% come from rural municipalities and 30% from municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The professions which envisage an improvement in European relations are 30% managers and 22% intermediate professions.
Respondents think on the contrary, at 61%, that the countries of the EU should be more united. Two years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, 51% of respondents think that Europe has not been up to the task and 44% on the contrary praise its action. But this finding is not necessarily based on good information, since 34% say they do not really know what the EU did in the health crisis.
They want the EU to defend peace
While respondents express real doubts about the future of the EU, political organization is seen as inevitable for several issues. According to those interviewed, the EU remains above all essential for maintaining peace: 58% see it as a force for peace in Europe and in the world. Then come the promotion of culture (49%) and the defense of fundamental rights (49%).
But “social” Europe is still struggling to assert itself: only 30% of those questioned believe that Brussels will be able to provide better social protection for European citizens in the coming months. On the other hand, when it comes to technical and scientific innovations, 55% think that the EU promotes discovery.
They believe that the French presidency should be turned towards ecology
During the semester of the French presidency, France will have to defend as a priority, at European level, the environment and the fight against global warming (41%), then immigration (37%) and the economy (30%) , according to respondents. Regarding the environment, 73% of French people questioned would be in favor of a European energy policy and 68% of a carbon tax at the borders of Europe. But overall, only 34% trust the EU to solve environmental challenges.
They find that Emmanuel Macron best embodies Europe
According to the study, the personality who most embodies the EU today is Emmanuel Macron (13%), then Angela Merkel (10%) and Michel Barnier (4%). However, among the list of personalities proposed in response, 23% of respondents did not choose any of them. But the notoriety of EU personalities seems very low. While 68% of those polled say they know Michel Barnier and know what position he occupies, only 50% say the same for Thierry Breton (European Commissioner for the Internal Market) and 45% for Ursula von der Leyen (President of the Commission European).
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* Viavoice poll for France Télévisions, Radio France and France Médias Monde, carried out online from November 10 to 17, 2021, on a sample of 2,000 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over.