Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – According to an EU Parliament survey, the Cost of living is citizens’ primary concern at the dawn of the new legislature.
The European Parliament released the “EU Post-Electoral Survey 2024” looking at voting behaviour and the major priorities of EU citizens. Rising costs and the cost of living (42%) and the economic crisis (41%) were the main issues that motivated European citizens to vote in the last European elections in June this year. A third of voters (34%) state that the international situation was a matter that encouraged them to vote, while a comparable proportion mentions defending democracy and the rule of law (32%).
How does the EU parliament plan to address voter concerns?
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, remarking on the results of the survey, states: “Last June, people across Europe made their voice count as we saw the highest turnout in the European Parliament elections in 30 years. They gave us a mandate to act, to provide answers and solutions and to make a positive difference in their daily lives. We will deliver. Over the coming weeks, the European Parliament is scrutinising the new European Commission to ensure it will address the issues that are a priority for people: the cost of living, the state of our economy, democracy, rule of law, migration and security. The European Parliament will continue to work to make people’s voice count in the EU.”
How did the economic crisis influence EU voter turnout?
Moreover, support for the EU remains high, despite economic anguish. The results of the survey reveal that citizens are happy about the future of the EU (65%) and that they persist in holding a positive impression of the EU (48% with only 16% saying they have a negative image).
Why is trust in European democracy at a record high?
EU membership is considered in a favourable light, too. Seven in ten (70%) Europeans believe that their country has profited from being a member of the EU, a figure that has been steady in recent years. In the EU overall, there are four major rationales for why membership is considered wholesome: improved cooperation between Member States (36%), shielding peace and strengthening security (32%), the EU’s assistance to economic growth (28%), and the creation of new work opportunities (24%).
Furthermore, trust in European parliamentary democracy is quite high at the beginning of the tenth EP parliamentary term: 42% of residents have a positive impression of the European Parliament – the most elevated ever recorded result for this indicator.
Europeans also demonstrated their support for EU democracy in the European elections last June. The turnout was 50,74%, the most elevated in 30 years and comparable to that in 2019. It rose in 16 out of 27 countries compared to the 2019 European elections. That voting counts, is also ratified by 56% of citizens who agree that their vote counts in the EU – an expansion of 8 percentage points compared to February/March 2024 (48%).
