Ane Barcos-Aquí Europa
The Representation of the European Commission in Spain yesterday presented the results of the latest standard Eurobarometer for Spain, which show that the vast majority of Spaniards (83%) feel like citizens of the European Union, 11 points above the European average, and are in favor of more decisions being made at EU level in matters such as security and defense, migration and energy.
This edition of the standard Eurobarometer was carried out between October 23 and November 15, 2023 in the twenty-seven Member States of the EU and to prepare it, 26,471 people from the Union were interviewed in person. The results were published this Tuesday within the framework of the end of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which ends on December 31, and in view of the next elections to the European Parliament in June 2024.
In this context of “special relevance”, as pointed out by the Representation of the European Commission in Spain, the results of the latest standard Eurobarometer for Spain highlight that inflation continues to be the most important problem for Spaniards, fake news continues to be perceived as harmful element for democracy and also reveal strong support on the part of Spanish citizens for the enlargement of the EU and for Ukraine.
The results have also revealed that the majority of Spaniards (78%) are in favor of more decisions being made at EU level, far exceeding the European average of 55%. In this sense, Spanish citizens also advocate common policies between EU Member States for the management of different matters, such as security and defense (84%), migration (84%) and energy (81%).
Citizen concerns
Among what worries citizens the most, inflation, the economic situation and unemployment continue to be the main concerns of Spaniards. 49% highlight the rise in prices as the main problem, followed by the economic situation (24%) and unemployment (23%). Furthermore, concern about immigration has increased to 14%. Although the negative perception of the economy and employment has improved compared to 2022, it is still higher than the European average. However, the personal assessment of employment (72%) and financial situation (64%) exceeds the European average.
Regarding misinformation and fake news, the results show that 87% of Spaniards consider that fake news is a problem for democracy in general and 58% of European citizens affirm that it is easy for them to detect this type of fake news. . On the other hand, information on European affairs is perceived as insufficient (73%), and general TV is the main source of information according to 34%.
Invasion of Ukraine and EU enlargement
73% of Spanish citizens and 51% of Europeans have been in favor of additional expansions of the EU to include other countries in the coming years.
Regarding support for Ukraine, the Eurobarometer reveals that 78% of Spaniards and 72% of Europeans advocate financial support for Ukraine.
Renewable energy
A high consensus has also been observed regarding renewable energies, since 91% of Spaniards are in favor of investing in large-scale renewable energies compared to 83% of Europeans. Furthermore, according to the results, 89% consider that, along with reducing the import of oil and gas, it is important for security in general.
Lucas González Ojeda, acting director of the European Commission Representation in Spain, highlighted that the results of this edition of the Eurobarometer “reflect the solid commitment of the Spanish people with the European project” and that they “underline the importance of strengthening collaboration and cohesion at the European level to address current and future challenges.”
