Paper/ European Public Opinion on the Challenges and Future of EU Foreign and Security Policy by Rossella Borri, Pierangelo Isernia, Carlotta Mingardi & Francesco Olmastroni

A JOINT multi-country survey across France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Poland shed light on public opinion regarding the EU’s foreign and security policy. Three key findings emerged:

1. While viewed as an international actor, the EU is perceived as ineffective by the public, who desire a more prominent global role for the EU.
2. There is widespread public support for a stronger EU foreign and security policy. However, questions remain about the optimal balance of powers between national governments and the EU, as well as the future relationship with the US and NATO.
3. On the Russia-Ukraine war, survey results revealed a potential dissonance between public sentiment and concrete policy positions. With the exception of Greece, majorities in the surveyed countries indicated readiness to side with Ukraine in the conflict.

This Report has been prepared by Rossella Borri (Senior Researcher, University of Siena), Pierangelo Isernia (Full Professor of Political Science, University of Siena), Carlotta Mingardi (Post-Doc Researcher, University of Siena) & Francesco Olmastroni (Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Siena)