Latest news with #Eurobarometer
Euronews
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Do EU citizens believe that their public institutions are corrupt?
Nearly seven out of ten European Union citizens believe that corruption is widespread in their country, according to a recent Eurobarometer survey. This represents a slight increase of one percentage point since last year. Greece stands out with 97% considering corruption to be widespread, followed by Croatia at 92% and Portugal at 91%. By contrast, Finland and Denmark report the lowest percentages of respondents perceiving corruption as widespread, at 21% and 28%, respectively. The largest increases regarding these responses since 2024 were reported in Luxembourg and Ireland, with a rise of nine and six percentage points, respectively. Four in five respondents say giving money to public administrations or public services to get a favour in return is never acceptable. Portugal (98%), France (90%), and Spain (90%) are the three member states with the highest percentage of respondents claiming it is never acceptable. More than seven in 10 Europeans deem it unacceptable to do a favour to receive something from these entities, whereas 5% believe it is always acceptable. Around three in four EU citizens stated that it is never acceptable to give gifts. Older respondents, aged 55 and over, are more likely to find corruption unacceptable compared to younger respondents aged between 15 and 24. Half of the respondents in Bulgaria mention police as the primary perpetrators of giving and taking bribes and the abuse of power for personal gain. In Greece, 61% of respondents believe that corruption is widespread among officials issuing business permits. Private companies are the most mentioned in Sweden and Denmark. Is corruption being tackled? More than half of those surveyed believe that corruption is common among political parties, while 46% say the same about politicians at local, regional or national levels. Two-thirds of people living in the EU think that high-level corruption cases are not pursued sufficiently in their countries. Meanwhile, more than half of respondents do not think that government efforts to combat corruption are effective. Nearly half of Europeans also do not think that measures against corruption are applied impartially and without a hidden purpose in their country. At the EU level, 5% of respondents report having experienced or witnessed corruption in the last 12 months, and just one in five of them say they reported the incident. Fewer than half of respondents know where to report a case of corruption. Men are more likely than women to personally know someone who has taken or is taking bribes.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Do EU citizens consider their justice systems to be independent?
More than half of European Union citizens rate their country's justice system positively, a recent Eurobarometer study revealed. Meanwhile, 36% express negative opinions about it. Danish citizens are the most likely to rate the independence of their courts and judges highly, followed by people from Austria and Finland. In all EU member states, at least half of those who rate their justice systems positively attribute this to a lack of interference or pressure from the government and politicians. The proportion sharing this view ranges from 50% in Bulgaria and Romania to 71% in Austria and Finland. By contrast, 30% of respondents in Bulgaria, 29% in Poland and 28% in Croatia rate the independence of their courts and judges as "very bad". Between 2024 and 2025, perceptions of judicial independence became significantly less positive in Romania, with a drop of nine percentage points, and in Cyprus and Estonia, which both experienced a decrease of seven percentage points. People who have been involved in a dispute that went to court in the last two years are less likely to believe in the independence of courts and judges compared to those who have not been involved in such a dispute. Meanwhile, Polish respondents, more than people in other countries, say that no interference or pressure from government and politicians "very much" explains their positive rating of the justice system's independence in their country. On the other hand, the lowest proportions sharing this view are observed in France (14%) and in Cyprus (15%). Self-employed respondents tend to rate the independence of courts and judges in their country as less favourable compared to those who are unemployed or manual workers. Men are also slightly more likely than women to say that no interference or pressure from government and politicians explains their positive rating of the level of independence of the justice system in their country. When communicating with courts in the context of judicial proceedings, almost half (47%) of respondents would prefer to communicate through electronic means, while 44% would prefer to communicate using paper.
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Poll: Do EU citizens back more defence spending?
Calls from the European Union and NATO for increased military spending aren't exactly resonating among the EU public. A recent Eurobarometer poll showed EU citizens are not exactly eager to spend money on defence, despite growing warnings from NATO and the EU about the risk of future conflicts. Fewer than one in four people (23%) want the EU to use its funds for military purposes. Which countries show the least support for military spending? A recent joint report by Bruegel and the Kiel Institute claimed that a new Russian aggression is "conceivable", citing NATO claims that Moscow might be "ready to attack within three to ten years". Yet, defence capabilities and infrastructure rank only seventh out of 10 proposed areas of investment in the Eurobarometer poll. Furthermore, public opinion seems deeply fractured across the bloc. Unsurprisingly, support for more defence spending is highest among Russia's close neighbours: 50% in Estonia and 46% in both Finland and Lithuania. On the other hand, backing is much lower in countries like Italy (12%), Bulgaria (13%), Spain (17%), Ireland (15%), Slovenia and Hungary (14%). 'Too many leaders playing scare tactics' Daniel Fiott, head of defence at Brussels' Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS), explains why leaders are failing to get the message across. "You cannot convince people living in western and southern Europe that Russian troops will be landing in their capital cities anytime soon; yet, we know that in many frontline states in eastern and central Europe, this is precisely the fear for citizens." "So, the messaging for individual countries needs to be tailored. As of now, too many leaders are playing scare tactics with the public — this will not work," Fiott added. Current global economic turbulence isn't helping to drive more support, he says. "I strongly support more defence spending in Europe, but the NATO 5% spending target can be achieved in a context where the US is imposing tariffs on the EU and where the global economy is sputtering, is unclear to me." "Although a short-sighted view, many citizens in Europe will not want to spend more on defence because they automatically fear that other public services will suffer." More houses, fewer tourists: Europeans' top priorities Instead of defence, respondents point to areas like health and education as top priorities (49%), followed by climate action and environment protection (38%). Denmark is the most climate-concerned country (58%), before Malta (56%) and Italy (46%). Job creation is the third most pressing issue (31%) across the bloc, particularly in Romania, Greece and Lithuania. These areas are followed by housing (27%), which appears particularly problematic in central Europe, as Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia show the highest rates (35%) after Cyprus (40%) of people wanting the EU to place funds on it. On the other hand, amid growing pressure from mass travel, tourism, and cultural heritage received the least support for public investment (12%).
Euractiv
7 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
Czech distrust in EU runs high ahead of October vote
PRAGUE – A large share of Czechs believe the EU may interfere in the country's parliamentary elections in October, despite government reassurances that such fears are 'groundless.' A new survey by the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) found that 41% of Czechs believe the EU is likely to interfere in the vote, just behind the 42% who suspect Russia. The findings echo persistent Euroscepticism in the country, with only 29% of Czechs viewing the EU positively – well below the bloc-wide average of 43% – while 27% hold negative views and 44% are neutral, according to a spring Eurobarometer survey. CEDMO's findings suggest said the perception of EU interference reflects longstanding mistrust rather than any recent developments. 'Respondents who view EU interference as likely predominantly supported Eurosceptic parties in previous elections,' he said. European Affairs Minister Martin Dvořák dismissed the claims of EU interference as 'groundless' and driven by 'enemies of democracy.' 'The EU has neither the interest nor the instruments to influence elections in its member states,' he told Euractiv Czechia. Still, disinformation narratives continue to spread on Facebook and encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, often driven by domestic political actors, according to Cuker. False narratives include claims that the EU plans to introduce a mandatory asset registry or could invalidate the national election results. A previous CEDMO study found that a quarter of Czechs believed the latter claim. Government steps To address these mounting concerns, the interior ministry has launched a cybersecurity task force to monitor the election process. The unit will monitor system logs, test defences against DDoS attacks, and prepare technical and organisational countermeasures. Ministry spokesperson Hana Malá warned that disinformation tactics seen in Romania and Germany, such as the reactivation of 'sleeper' accounts, bot-driven content amplification, and micro-influencer messaging, may also appear in Czechia. 'It can be assumed that similar patterns of influence may be present in the Czech information space,' Malá told Euractiv Czechia. The ministry will also soon launch a voter awareness campaign to explain voting safeguards and new procedures, including digital ID and postal voting. Neighbouring countries have recently shown similar suspicion towards Brussels. In Slovakia, 46% of the CEDMO survey respondents said the EU posed the greatest risk of election interference, ahead of the US (39%) and Russia (38%). In Poland, 47% still view Russia as the biggest threat, but 39% believe the EU is also likely to interfere, more than those who suspect the US (35%). (cs, de)
Euronews
16-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Small business owners in Bulgaria brace for switch to euro in 2026
Small business owners in Bulgaria are facing the upcoming currency change from the lev to the euro with concern, as many fear this might be yet another crisis they have to confront. The concerns arise as the Balkan country of 6.4 million people prepares to switch from its national currency to the European one on 1 January 2026. In the southern Bulgarian city of Haskovo, the Terziev family opened its first organic store more than 10 years ago. With their small business already having weathered several crises, now it faces a new challenge — the switch to the euro. Nikolay Terziev, the owner of the store, says he has begun labelling products with the new currency, but with considerable unease. "No shop owner is an economist," he said. "What worries us is the information we're getting from close acquaintances in countries that have already adopted the euro — yes, economic indicators improve, but the population becomes poorer. But more big businesses profit," Terziev explained. The price of goods is rising Bulgaria is unusual in that it pegged the lev to the euro right from the beginning of monetary union in 1999, even before it joined the EU in 2007. Bulgaria also has very low levels of debt, only 24.1% of annual economic output. That is well below the 60% level set in the economic criteria for eurozone membership. The final step was to bring inflation below the benchmark of 2.8%, or no more than 1.5% higher than the average of the three lowest eurozone members. However, over the past month, there has been a noticeable increase in supplier prices, raising concerns about potential bankruptcy. "Converting Bulgaria to the euro is not our biggest problem. Our big problem is what's causing the price increases. It's simple—when prices rise and people's purchasing power is low, which is the case in Bulgaria, people buy less, and you sell less," said Terziev. The biggest concerns are about January next year, when both currencies will be in circulation for one month. "We know very well that chaos will begin in early January. From January, we'll have to give change in euros; we'll have to calculate in eurocents," Terziev told Euronews Bulgaria. "We'll constantly need to exchange levs for euros and go to banks. We'll have to work and exchange money at the same time. Physically, I don't know how we'll manage that." Too close to call But not all of Terziev's organic store customers don't view shopping in euros; the most recent Eurobarometer poll carried out by the EU showed that 50% of Bulgarians were opposed and 43% in favour. Some of their reasons include fears of inflation, distrust of official institutions in a country that has had seven governments in four years, and widespread misinformation on social media. In Haskovo, many residents say they are not in a hurry to exchange their money. "No, I don't have much to exchange," said one customer. "It's absurd. For now, I choose to stay optimistic and believe it won't be necessary," said another. Although many fear the change, others have expressed trust. "I'm very happy that Bulgaria will adopt the euro. I hope it helps the country economically. I'm not worried," said one customer, Monika Boyuklieva. "I don't think inflation is caused by the euro — it's due to other factors. I hope everything goes smoothly and that there won't be any major price increases," added Boyuklieva. Last month, EU officials gave the green light for Bulgaria to become the 21st member of the eurozone, a key Brussels project aimed at deepening the ties between member countries. Starting 8 August, all retail prices must be displayed in both currencies. All banks must exchange lev until the end of 2026. The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange banknotes and coins from lev to euro for an unlimited period.
