A brand new German survey reveals 63% of Western Europeans need the bloc to go its personal approach
Virtually two-thirds of EU residents imagine the bloc ought to go its personal approach moderately than proceed to be dominated the US, however virtually half proceed to treat Washington as their most necessary ally, in line with a brand new survey.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung, a Germany-based basis, polled each Individuals and residents of the 27 EU member states. Whereas a few of their considerations overlap, the EU has change into extra independence-minded following the re-election of Donald Trump, the muse claims.
EU residents “could have understood that the previous America is just not coming again,” wrote Isabell Hoffmann and Catherine De Vries, who analyzed the polling information for Bertelsmann. “They can’t hope for the very best. They should put together for the worst: A United States that’s hyper-transactional, typically antagonistic, and self-centered.”
Whereas US and EU residents nonetheless see one another as their most useful ally and maintain NATO in excessive regard, “eight years of American hyper-polarization at residence and blended messaging overseas have taken their toll,” in line with Hoffmann and De Vries.
Now 63% of EU residents want the bloc would go its personal approach, in comparison with simply 25% in 2017.
Whereas 51% of Western Europeans imagine the US is their most useful ally, they largely skew older. Solely 38% of the 18-35 cohort backs Washington, whereas that goes as much as 63% amongst these age 55 and up. In the meantime, 25% of Individuals polled suppose the EU is their most useful ally, whereas 27% picked the UK.
The EU was additionally divided by nation, with solely 43% of Belgians contemplating the US as their high ally in comparison with 65% of Poles, whereas 13% of Italians picked China as their most necessary accomplice.
Western Europeans and Individuals alike picked safe borders as their high concern, 25% and 35% respectively. A barely larger share within the EU believed that NATO protected them from that risk, 64% in comparison with 59% within the US.
Whereas 73% of EU residents would love the bloc to play a extra energetic function in world affairs, solely 56% of Individuals need the identical factor of their very own nation.
Bertelsmann polled over 26,000 folks throughout all 27 EU member states and a consultant pattern of two,500 Individuals. The authors positioned the margin of error at 0.8% within the EU and three% within the US, with a confidence degree of 95%.
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