Europeans Are Increasingly Fed Up With the EU

Faith in economic integration in Europe has fallen. According to polling from the Pew Research Center fewer people in Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Poland, and the Czech Republic now believe that economic integration strengthens economies than did in 2012. Disillusion is the most noticeable in France. In 2012, 36 percent of French respondents said they believed that economic integration strengthened the economy. Now, only 22 percent do.

The number of people with favorable attitudes towards the European Union has also fallen, except in the Czech Republic where now 38 percent (hardly a ringing endorsement) of respondents say they have favorable opinion of the E.U., a jump of four percent from last year. Again, the drop is especially noticeable in France, where now only 41 percent of respondents say they view the E.U. favorably, down from 60 percent a year ago.

Chart from Pew below:

 

Pew Research Center

What is especially telling about Pew's findings are that the increasingly negative attitudes towards the E.U. and towards economic integration are seen across not only comparatively wealthy countries like Germany, France, and the U.K., but also in the PIIGS (Italy, Greece, Spain) featured in the poll. Rich or poor, Europeans are not happy about the state of their union. Even in Germany, where belief in Economic integration and the E.U. is highest among the countries featured in the poll, only 54 percent of respondents say they believe economic integration has benefited the economy and only 60 percent view the E.U. favorably.

Comments

[Mad Scientist]

Sure the Greeks are upset. They signed on to get tons of free goodies from the other countries, and instead they only got a whole bunch of free goodies.

[Pro Libertate]

What we need is for the EU to get its act together and become fiscally sane. Because they'd kick our ass if they did that, which would at least put some pressure on us to reform. Unfortunately, we remain less of a disaster than other countries, which props us up and allows us to dig an even deeper hole than we otherwise would.

It's been said that either the euro goes or the EU becomes a true nation-state. The latter's not happening, so it's just a matter of time. And if the euro goes, other aspects of the EU may go as well.

[Hugh Akston]

And if the euro goes, other aspects of the EU may go as well.

You mean like that thing where they agree not to invade one another?

[Pro Libertate]

If the economies stay down, I'm afraid so. And, of course, we won't have the sense to stay out of it.

[deified]

Why do you think we won't have the sense to stay out of it?

(We've had 100 years to learn the lesson of World War I.)

[The Immaculate Trouser]

The problem with EU reform is France. The problem with removing France from the EU is that you lose one of your largest markets in the Eurozone and the EU collapses.

[Pro Libertate]

That's what the Germans keep telling the world, but the world won't listen.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

We just need to find a way to get everyone to just focus on the issue... concentrate on it, if you will.

[Pro Libertate]

Look, the one time the world stayed out of it, Germany conquered France quickly and came out of it relatively liberal. No mass murder, no camps, everything lovely. The next two times, half the planet got involved, and things got ugly. Clearly, the correct answer is to let Germany have France.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

The answer lies in letting them get to Paris. First time? Got to Paris; made peace. Second time? Thwarted at Paris; war lasted another four years.

The solution is obvious: let the Germans have Paris, then torch the place when they leave. We can let the French raze DC or London as a consolation prize.

[Pro Libertate]

Good point. I think the entire world would benefit in letting Germany have Paris. Including France itself.

[deified]

I've eaten French food and I've eaten German food. Even if Parisians themselves won't man the barricades, I'll meet those kraut bastards at Sacr? Couer.

[grey]

We should let them raze Detroit, it would be a favor to us.

[MP]

Rich or poor, Europeans are not happy about the state of their union.

But that's not really fair, is it? The poor will always blame the current leadership, regardless of culpability.

Something tells me that if the PIIGS were on the outside looking in, that they would love the EU, because they'd be in far shittier shape.

[KPres]

I also thought this was interesting (from the same poll)...

http://www.pewglobal.org/files.....-EU-24.png

Could it be that Europeans aren't quite the rabid socialists as the American media claims? Maybe just that the minority of socialists in those countries have done a better job of infiltrating those governments than they have here?

Seriously, 81% of French people want to cut their government? I am surprised.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Parliamentary government is shit at representing the will of the people and moving with change.

[John C. Randolph]

Let's just hope that the Fourth Reich comes to an end with as little bloodshed as possible.

-jcr