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Seven out of ten Europeans believe that democracy is under threat, and just as many believe that strict border controls should be reinstated. These opinions are not promoted by alternative or conservative media platforms, but are the results of a survey conducted by FGS Global. This survey, which was answered by more than 11,700 citizens from 23 European Union member states, was taken in November and published just a few days ago.
Three-quarters of Europeans who responded said that democracy in their own country is “in decline.” In other words, a significant majority of Europeans believe that democratic erosion is a reality, and trust in political actors is steadily declining. How alarming is—or should be—this statistic? Very much so!
According to the same survey, 70% of Europeans are disappointed with their government’s performance and feel it is to have higher expectations. Also, over half of the people who answered think that thorough reform of the political system is really needed. This isn’t really surprising. Even though in countries like Romania and Bulgaria, a lot of people aren’t happy with how things are going politically right now, like 91% in Romania and 86% in Bulgaria, these numbers shouldn’t be a shock either. Romania is the only country in the European Union where a presidential election, the one in November-December 2024, has been cancelled in its entirety, and the reasons behind the cancellation of the elections are far from clear. In Bulgaria, seven legislative elections have been held in the last four years, and an eighth round of parliamentary elections is already a certainty. Also in Bulgaria, on January 19, President Rumen Radev announced his resignation, one year before the end of his second term.
When asked if they were satisfied with the direction their country was heading in, 65% of respondents believed it was the wrong one, with the highest percentage in France. Four out of five French people believe that their country is not going in the right direction at all. Another red flag. Will it provoke a reaction or will it be downplayed? That remains to be seen.
The percentage of those who want a more demanding policy on migration is also very interesting. Seven out of ten Europeans responded that Member States should have greater and more decisive powers to manage as effectively as possible a phenomenon that represents the most serious threat to the cohesion and security of European societies. The same percentage of respondents believe that states should act more firmly to protect their national interests, and 57% of Europeans believe that defense spending should be increased.
I have mentioned above some of the most conclusive results of this survey, which should stir up some emotions or at least spark debates. The direction in which our countries are heading is clearly wrong, democracy is perceived to be in decline, the political system is rotten and in need of profound reform, migration must be controlled through tougher measures, and the national interest must remain our top priority. These are the opinions of the majority of Europeans, realities that conservative forces have repeatedly drawn attention to.
The results of this survey are all the more interesting as they were revealed at a time when the concept of a “two-speed EU” has been brought back into the public eye. In a letter addressed to his five counterparts from France, Poland, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, the German finance minister wrote that “Europe must become stronger and more resilient.” More than two-thirds of Europeans do not trust their own governments and the measures they have taken, are very critical of the political system, and believe that the overall direction is wrong.
Two-speed Europe or two Europes? People’s voices seem to strike a stark contrast to the clichéd rhetoric of the “elites.”