Europe’s 5 Crisis Tribes

Photo by munshots on Unsplash

Photo by munshots on Unsplash There are five defined crisis tribes across Europe’s voting population, and concerns about climate change and immigration will be key mobilising issues for citizens in the run-up to the European Parliament elections and other major ballots in Europe in 2024, according to a new polling-backed study published today by the European Council on…

Europeans Believe Russia Will Invade Ukraine

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

An ECFR survey says Europeans believe Russia will invade Ukraine this year.  In every surveyed country – apart from Finland (a plurality, 44%) – a majority of respondents think Russia will invade Ukraine this year. The breakdown for each country is as follows: Finland (44%), France (51%), Germany (52%), Italy (51%), Poland (73%), Romania (64%) and Sweden (55%)….

Geopolitical Mood Change In Europe

Ukraine Crisis

Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s border has triggered a mood change in Europe. Against a backdrop of rapidly escalating tensions, majorities in Europe now believe that Russia will invade Ukraine in 2022, and hold the view that the EU and NATO should stand behind Kyiv in such a scenario, according to a new polling-backed study…

ECFR Report on Germany’s Impact on EU

Germany and EU

A major pan-European polling round, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) asked citizens of the EU’s 12 most important member states for their thoughts on German leadership within the EU-27, both retrospectively, with regards the Merkel-era, and how they see Germany’s representation in Europe changing beyond this week’s elections.  The findings include: There is enduring support in Europe for Angela Merkel…

Angela Merkel Hailed as a Unifying Force for Europeans

Angela Merkel

Europeans still regard Angela Merkel, who will shortly step down as German chancellor, as a unifying force, and expect Germany to continue to provide leadership within the EU, according to new polling in a report published on Tuesday by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).  In “Beyond Merkelism: What Europeans expect of post-election Germany”, the…

ECFR Reaction to State of the Union Speech

Responding to Ursula von der Leyen’s address today, Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the pan-European think-tank, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), commented: “Last year, Ursula von der Leyen promised Europeans a geopolitical commission that would have a stronger and more unified voice in the world and that could protect European strategic sovereignty. It…

China Has Lost EU Trust

As European leaders prepare for talks with China’s Xi Jinping, on Monday 14 September, Datapraxis and YouGov polling commissioned by the foreign policy think-tank, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), has found that just 7% of Europe’s citizens see China as a “useful” ally in their battle with, and recovery from, COVID-19. Its new…

EU Urges De-escalation of Tensions in Middle East

Leading European figures have called for stepped-up European de-escalation efforts in the Middle East, following a series of attacks in Iraq that have culminated in the killing of Qassem Suleimani and missile attacks against US airbases. The UK foreign policy think-tank, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), published a statement calling on European governments to…

Battleground for votes in the European Parliament elections 

Battleground for votes in the Euro Parliament elections

Though migration remains important for Europe’s voters, a majority do not consider it to be the most important issue. Corruption, living standards, housing, unemployment and health rank above, or alongside, migration as key issues for European voters. Despite what Viktor Orban, Matteo Salvini and Steve Bannon have said, the EU elections will not be a…