Two-thirds of European Union citizens say they are not satisfied with the policies adopted to combat inflation and are concerned about the deterioration of their standard of living, according to a “Eurobarometer” survey published on Tuesday, a year before the upcoming European elections.
According to a study of 26,376 people conducted by Kantar Public for the European Parliament, 65% of respondents are dissatisfied with the measures taken by their national governments to respond to rising consumer prices and 57% are dissatisfied with measures at EU level.
The study stated that “half of the respondents consider that their standard of living has deteriorated recently, and they expect further deterioration.”
However, the rate of respondents (52%) who expected their country’s economy to deteriorate within a year decreased by eight points in six months.
Philip Schulmeister, director of campaigns in Parliament, declared: “The cost of living weighs heavily on individuals. The logical conclusion is that they will lose confidence in the European level. This is not what we see (…) There is hope and optimism is increasing and we expect the European Union to be able to fulfill its promises.” “.
And 47% of the respondents (61% in France) believe that the general situation is developing in the wrong direction at the level of the European Union, but this percentage is declining, while a third (32%, +1 point in a year) believe that the European Union is progressing in right direction.
And 54% confirmed that they were “satisfied” with the functioning of European democracy, with significant differences between Ireland (82%), France (only 42%) or Greece (34%). This poll, conducted in March, reveals opinions a year before the elections of 6-9 June 2024, to renew the members of the European Parliament.
