Mixed ratings of how EU handled the pandemic
Majorities across much of Western Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region have a favorable view of the European Union, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 17 advanced economies. But in general, supporters of right-wing parties are notably less supportive of the EU, the survey says. There is also a mixed opinion about how the union has handled the pandemic.
”Despite more mixed ratings of the EU’s coronavirus response, overall opinion of the EU has been at its highest in recent years in several countries. Favourable views of the EU in Italy and Sweden saw significant increases since last year, with two-thirds or more in each country now viewing the EU positively.”
”Japan and South Korea also saw similar increases, with Japan going from an all-time low of 47% in 2020 to 61% this year.”
RIGHT-WING PARTIES
The survey says that ideology and party backing are often tied to assessment of the EU within the member countries surveyed.
”In general, supporters of right-wing populist parties are notably less supportive of the EU. This pattern can be seen in Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. For example, while 68% of those who do not support Alternative for Germany (AfD) approve of the EU, only 41% of AfD supporters say the same.”
”The opposite pattern can be seen among the centre and left-wing populist parties in Europe, where supporters of these parties are more likely to have a positive assessment of the EU.”
SWEDEN ANS SPAIN
A median of 63% across the 17 publics surveyed rate the EU positively. Among the eight EU member states surveyed, opinions are most favourable in Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands, where at least 70% have a positive view of the EU.
These three countries also have the most positive evaluation in the region of the EU’s response to the pandemic; roughly six-in-ten or more say the organization has done a good job handling the outbreak. By comparison, a median of only 48% across all 17 publics approve of the EU’s response.
Although majorities in Germany, France and Belgium have a positive assessment of the EU overall, only about half or fewer think it has handled the outbreak well. Greeks are the least likely among those surveyed to view the EU favourably overall but a majority of Greeks say the EU did well in its response to the pandemic.
- Sweden 74% have a positive opinion about EU and 70% think EU has done a good job with the pandemic
- Spain 72% and 61% respectively
- Netherlands 70% and 58% respectively
- Italy 67% and 55% respectively
- Germany 63% and 43% respectively
- France 61% and 51% respectively
- Belgium 57% and 48% respectively
- Greece 49% and 56% respectively
SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN
Outside the EU, many express a positive opinion of the union. Canadians and Americans also rate the EU’s response to the outbreak positively. Roughly six-in-ten Americans have a positive view of the EU and say it did a good job in response to the pandemic. But relatively few in the Asia-Pacific region approve of how the EU has handled the outbreak. Only 39% in Australia, 31% in South Korea and 21% in Taiwan think the EU did well in its response.
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