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THE EU IN THE WAKE OF BREXIT. RESULTS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY CONDUCTED IN EIGHT EU COUNTRIES
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omnipresent, not least in order to mitigate the
incentive for migration within the EU. Yet opin-
ions on this do differ considerably between
countries. The introduction of minimum stand-
ards meets with considerable agreement in Italy
(74 %), Spain (71 %) and Slovakia (60 %),
whereas it meets with little enthusiasm in the
Czech Republic (41 %), the Netherlands (38 %)
and Sweden (33 %). Opinions are split in France
and Germany.
Among the unwritten and highly controver-
sial rules of the EU is the imperative to show
solidarity between Member Countries, which
also implies a financial transfer between pros-
perous and poorer countries. Here as well, views
in the various countries diverge. Majorities in
countries facing economic problems like Spain
(60 %), Slovakia (59 %) and Italy (53 %) advo-
cate financial support of poorer countries by
richer ones. Yet so does a clear majority in
Germany. On the other hand, majorities in the
Czech Republic and the Netherlands (61 and
65 %, respectively) reject such an approach.
Opinions are divided in Sweden and France.
Trust and confidence in Member States
The strength of the EU depends not least on
trust between Member States. This goes not
only for governments, but for populations as
well. As France and Germany play a special role
in the EU, trust of partner countries in these two
nations, but also in their own country, was
measured in 2017 and 2015. For reasons of
comparison, trust and confidence in two addi-
tional important EU countries was also surveyed:
Italy and Poland.
Findings in 2015 were very satisfactory from
a German perspective: trust and confidence in
Germany was relatively great across all seven
countries (65 %), while Germans themselves
trusted both their close ally France (59 %) and
their own country (76 %) to a high extent.
France did not do so well. Although the
French had roughly the same trust in the rising
neighbour Germany as vice versa (60 %), trust
of the seven partner countries in France turned
out to be rather modest at 52 %. Attitudes of
the French towards their own country also dis-
played self-doubt: Only around half had trust
(53 %) in their own country.
Both figures improved significantly following
the election of Emmanuel Macron. Now six out
of ten citizens from the seven partner countries
have trust and confidence in France, up eight
percentage points. Germans rank highest with
74 % (up 15 percentage points). This increase is
only surpassed by the Swedes (up 16 %), al-
though at a significantly lower level (59 %).
Most importantly, however, French citizens
themselves have restored faith in their country
(64 % / up 11 %).
As in 2015, two out of three citizens in the
seven partner states continue to have trust and
confidence in Germany. The relationship of the
French to their neighbouring country has even
improved (65 % / up five %). In addition, the
self-image of Germans has improved, as
Germany’s role in the EU is now considered pos-
itive by 88 % of its own citizens. So much self-
confidence can also arouse distrust, as seems to
be the case among the Czech population,
whose trust in their powerful neighbour has
eroded perceptively (down 7 %). Germany
seems to have made few friends in the Czech
population with its liberal refugee policy.
With Brexit impending, Italy will automati-
cally gain influence and importance as the new
third-largest EU country. Thus, it is important to
note that trust and confidence in this country
has risen substantially (up 7 %). Improvement is