Survey: citizen opinions in France, Italy and Germany on the role of the European Union in international development ahead of the elections

Ahead of the forthcoming European Parliament elections to be held from 6 to 9 June 2024, Focus 2030 asked citizens in France, Italy and Germany about their perceptions of the European Union’s role in international solidarity. Analysis.

The European Union, which brings together 27 Member States, is a key multilateral player in an increasingly divided and unstable world, as demonstrated by the Covid-19 pandemic, ongoing wars and humanitarian crises, not to mention the ravages of climate change. The European Union wields considerable influence on the international stage, notably through its representation on multilateral bodies and its aid to developing countries as the world’s largest donor (93 billion dollars from its member countries and 27 billion dollars from EU institutions in 2023). The economic strength of this regional organization (accounting for 16% of the world’s total wealth) also implies a special responsibility towards the rest of the world, particularly towards developing countries.

With this in mind, Focus 2030 surveyed citizens in France, Italy and Germany to find out whether they would like the European Union to be more involved in international development.

This survey highlights a strong sense of European citizenship (69% on average across the three countries), although national identity, which is not exclusive, remains more predominant (84%). Additionally, 73% of respondents in France, Germany, and Italy support maintaining or increasing European Union (EU) aid to developing countries, demonstrating a collective desire for solidarity with the poorest nations, which is considered one of the EU’s core values by the majority of citizens (58%). Respondents also expressed support for a European tax on financial transactions (57%) and increased EU financial support for gender equality in the world (63%).

Analysis.

Compare the sense of belonging to a national, European or global citizenship

Do people surveyed in France, Germany, and Italy consider themselves citizens primarily of their own country, of the European Union, or of the world? This question offers insight into attitudes towards national identity, support for the European project, and awareness of the interdependence within a globalized society, including potential tendencies towards national isolationism.

In all three countries, the sense of national belonging is the strongest (averaging 84%), followed by European citizenship (69%) and global citizenship (60%) in two out of three countries. However, European citizenship is notably weaker among respondents in France (-13 percentage points compared to Germany and Italy).

In more detail, we can observe that the sense of national citizenship is notably stronger among respondents aged over 55 compared to those aged 18 to 44 (+18 points in France and Germany, +11 points in Italy).

On the other hand, the feeling of belonging to European citizenship does not vary significantly with age, but rather with political orientation and level of education.

• Those with a university degree are more likely to consider themselves European citizens than those without (+7 points in France, +9 points in Italy and +10 points in Germany).
• In France, European citizenship is claimed more by people who say they are ’left-wing’ (moderate) or ’centre’ (+14 points compared to those who say they are either ’far left’, ’right-wing’ or ’far right’).
• In Germany, it is higher for people who say they are ’left-wing’ or ’centre’ (+10 points compared to those who say they are ’centre-right’, ’right-wing’ or ’far right’).
• In Italy, European sentiment is much more widely recognised by ’left’ and ’centre-left’ supporters (+15 points compared to centre/centre-right supporters and +23 points compared to ’right’ supporters).

The sense of belonging to a global citizenship is also strongly dependent on political orientation. In all three countries, left-wing supporters express a greater sense of belonging than centre or right-wing supporters (+18 points in France, +17 points in Germany, +15 points in Italy).

A majority of citizens in France, Germany and Italy are in favour of increasing or maintaining European aid to developing countries

73% of respondents in France, Germany and Italy believe that EU support for health, education and development in the poorest countries should be maintained or increased. Only a minority (15%) oppose this idea.

Left and centre-left supporters are more likely to be in favour of this support than right-wing supporters (+17 points in France, +9 points in Germany, +12 points in Italy).

Is solidarity with the poorest countries a value of the European Union?

An average of 58% of respondents in France (56%), Germany (53%) and Italy (64%) agree with the statement that “Supporting the development of the poorest countries is one of the European Union’s values”. Only 13% are opposed to this principle.

The strongest support for the fact that supporting the development of the world’s poorest countries is a value of the European Union comes from Italy. Respondents in Germany disagree with this statement proportionately more than those in France.

Once again, the main discriminant on this question is the respondents’ political orientation: being ’left-wing’ (’far left’ and ’left-wing’) is associated with acknowledging the value of solidarity on a global scale (+14 points than the average of respondents in Italy, +16 points in France and +17 points in Germany).

Broad support in France, Germany and Italy for a European tax on financial transactions to finance the fight against global poverty and climate change

80% of respondents in France, Germany, and Italy are in favor of or would not oppose the establishment of a tax on "financial transactions" (FTT) to finance the fight against global poverty and climate change. Only a minority of respondents would oppose this measure (13% on average in the three countries).

In the run-up to the next European elections in June 2024, this tax initiative does not therefore represent a political risk.

Support for a European financial transaction tax is highest in France (82%), with the lowest level of opposition (9%). This French support for an FTT to finance development in the poorest countries confirms what Focus 2030 has regularly measured as part of the DEL project.

Although the majority of those questioned do not oppose or support the idea of a European FTT, this measure remains more popular with people who declare themselves to be ’on the left’ (far left, left-wing or centre-left) than with those on the rest of the political spectrum (+11 points in Italy, +12 points in France, +22 points in Germany).

The European Union is expected to fight for gender equality in the world

Equality between women and men is not seen exclusively as a domestic issue, but as a global concern that needs to be addressed at European level through appropriate financial commitments, among other things. This is something that Focus 2030 has regularly identified in the past as part of the DEL project, in particular at the Generation Equality Forum.

63% of respondents in the three countries surveyed believe (somewhat or completely) that the European Union should fund the fight for gender equality worldwide.

While this view is shared by the majority of respondents, slightly more women than men would like Europe to make a financial commitment to the fight for gender equality (a difference of 6 percentage points in France, 4 in Germany and 3 in Italy).

Even though the majority of respondents, regardless of their political sympathies, agree with this idea, there are proportionately more of them who position themselves "far left" to "centre left" than "centre right" and "far right" (+19 points in Italy, +18 points in Germany and +16 points in France).