Since Brexit vote, Europeans warm again to EU

Support surged by 18 percentage points in both Germany and France, which just elected europhile centrist Emmanuel Macron as president, the Washington-based Pew Research Center found.

Even the British hold a much more favourable opinion of the European Union. Now 54% of them view the EU positively, 10 points up on a year ago, while 40% were unfavourable. In June last year, they voted by 52% to 48% for Brexit. Negotiations on withdrawal terms start on Monday (19 June).

In none of the other nine countries surveyed did more than 35% of people want their country to follow suit and leave the EU. Of those, the Italians and Greeks were the least enthusiastic. Despite growing friction between their nationalist governments and Brussels, Poles and Hungarians remain among the keenest EU citizens.

“The European Union has rebounded dramatically from its recent slump in public approval,” Pew researchers wrote, noting an “up-and-down cycle over the past decade”.

The findings, in line with other research, will hearten EU leaders who meet at a summit next week. Some had feared, after Brexit followed grave crises in the euro zone economy and with irregular immigration, that the bloc’s survival was in doubt.

68% of Germans and 56% of French and Italians had a favourable view of the EU this spring, though Italians have not joined the general bounce in approval ratings.

The survey in 10 of the 28 members – the six biggest EU states and four of the next eight most populous – did not study reasons for changes in mood.

It did, however, also record more approval for the Union’s handling of the economy and migration – two areas where anger has long been directed at Brussels.

An EU deal with Turkey a year ago has stemmed chaotic migrant arrivals and along with income growth, opinions about the economy have improved – with the exception of debt-laden Greece and in Italy, where the proportion of people saying their economy is in good shape slumped 18 points to 15%.

A huge 87% of the Dutch, whom eurosceptics failed to win over heavily in a March election, think their economy is doing well – 25 points up on a year ago. There was a 15-point upturn in Spain, even if still only 28% take a rosy view.

*First published in EurActiv.com