77% of Europeans are in favor of a defense policy in the EU

Almost eight out of ten Europeans (77%) are in favor of a common security and defense policy between the countries of the EUwhile more than seven in ten (71%) agree that the EU must strengthen its capacity to produce military equipment and invest in the defense industry.

These are the data from the latest Eurobarometer published today by the European Comission just two weeks before the European elections, and in which almost three quarters of people surveyed (74%) say they feel like EU citizens, the highest level in more than two decades.

“That is very, very encouraging,” Community Vice President Margaritis Schinas highlighted today in a conference at the Europe Forum held in Brussels.

The survey also reflects that 69% are in favor of a common foreign policy of the Member States.

For 34% of Europeans, security and defense are the priority area of ​​EU action in the medium term, closely followed by climate and environment (the 30th%).

Health is in third place with 26%, and economy and migration in fourth place (both with 25%).

At the same time, almost half (46%) of citizens believe that ensuring peace and stability will have the greatest positive impact on their lives in the short term, followed by ensuring food, health and industrial supplies in the EU. (28%), create more opportunities for employment and manage migration (26%).

Ukraine

More than two years after Russia began its current massive military invasion, nearly nine in ten people surveyed (87%) agree that the EU provide humanitarian support to those suffering from the effects of war, and more than eight in ten (83%) agree to welcoming people fleeing war into the EU.

72% of EU citizens support economic sanctions against the Russian government, companies and individuals, and 70% agree to provide financial support to Ukraine.

Six out of ten approve of the EU granting candidate country status to Ukraine and of the EU financing the purchase and supply of military equipment to kyiv.

Among the most recent crises, it is the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has most influenced the way EU citizens look to the future (42% have), followed by the pandemic and other health crises ( pointed out by 34%), as well as the economic and financial crisis (23%).

On a list of fifteen problems facing the EU, the war in Ukraine is identified as one of the two most important problems by 35%, seven percentage points more than in November last year.

This is followed by immigration (24%), the international situation (22%) and inflation (19%).

Regarding the perception of the situation of the European economy, it has improved since autumn 2023, and 47% of people surveyed now rate it as “good”, the highest level since 2019.

45% of those surveyed believe that the European economic situation will remain stable in the next twelve months. A positive trend that is also reflected in the constantly high support for the euro, both in the EU as a whole (70%) and in the euro area (78%).

More than six in ten citizens (62%) are also optimistic about the future of the EUwhich is a slight increase compared to the previous survey in fall 2023.

Their trust in the EU has also increased and now stands at 49%, while trust in national governments is at 33%.

And finally, almost six out of ten people in the EU are satisfied with the functioning of democracy in the EU (57%) and in their country (58%), according to the Eurobarometer carried out between 3 and on April 28 to 26,399 people from the twenty-seven Member States of the EU.