This is the finding of a survey conducted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which polled 2,752 participants from ten EU countries.
An overwhelming 83% of respondents agreed that Russia’s incursion into Ukraine underscores the need for a stronger, unified European foreign policy.
The same percentage believed that, given the Russian war, it is time for the EU to “work more closely together in the areas of defence and security.”
The survey also shed light on Europeans’ dissatisfaction with the EU’s veto system in foreign policy matters, which requires unanimous decisions from all member states.
This system has been criticized by 74% of respondents who believe it hinders a robust European response to security crises, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The veto system essentially gives each member state the power to block decisions, which can lead to paralysis in decision-making during critical times.
Furthermore, a significant 79% of respondents expressed their belief that the EU should move away from this veto system and instead adopt a clear majority system, which would allow decisions to be made based on the majority of member states’ votes.
Interestingly, even in Hungary, whose right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pursues a notably Russia-friendly foreign policy and occasionally uses his foreign policy veto to blackmail other countries, 67% were in favour of the majority principle and 77% for a stronger common EU foreign policy.
However, the survey also revealed a lack of consensus on the role of the Franco-German duo in EU foreign policy. Only 52% of respondents agreed that Germany and France should “take on a stronger leadership role” in EU foreign policy, with 48% opposing this view.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation interprets these results as indicative of a shift: while economic growth and trade were previously the focus for Europeans, a united and value-based European foreign policy has now become more important. “The concept of a European identity is no longer seen as unimaginable,” the foundation stated.
The poll was conducted from 14 to 17 April in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Czechia, Finland and Sweden.
