Spaniards, less concerned about security and defense than the European average

Brussels – Spaniards are less concerned about security and defense than the European average, as while 36% of Europeans believe the EU should focus on these issues, in Spain that figure is only 20%, according to the winter Eurobarometer.

In the midst of the debate on European security and defense, the European survey reveals that compared to the rest of the EU, Spanish citizens are more inclined for the bloc to play a greater role in citizen security, at 72%. Additionally, the demand for the EU to unite in times of crisis is also higher than the bloc, at 93%.

Likewise, 85% calls for the EU to equip itself with more means to respond to current crises, also above the 76% European average. On the other hand, Spaniards are less concerned about security and defense, and while 36% of Europeans believe the EU should focus on these topics, in Spain that number is only 20%.

The drop in interest in climate issues is equally reflected in Spain and the rest of the European bloc. Of the total respondents, 18% believe the EU should focus on climate issues in the future, while 14% of Spaniards see it that way. The drop compared to the previous Eurobarometer is 13 points in Spain and 6 points in the European average.

The Eurobarometer does reflect the commitment to unity. 89% of Europeans demand that EU member states unite more against current global challenges, and 76% advocate equipping itself with more resources.

The survey, which involved more than 26,000 people, reflects that security and defense is a priority for the EU. Precisely, it reveals that 36% of Europeans consider this area as a priority for the EU to reinforce in the future, followed by competitiveness and economy, 32%, and energy, 27%, as subsequent areas.

The Eurobarometer indicates that the issue of security is most mentioned in countries in the north and east of the continent, such as Lithuania, Poland, or Germany, while southern member states like Italy, Portugal, and Greece point to the economy. Spain, Malta, and Cyprus believe the EU should focus on education and research.

Under these circumstances, European citizens support a greater role for the EU against global crises and security risks. Two-thirds of respondents, 66%, believe the future role of the EU should be more important to protect citizens against global crises and security risks, though with significant differences within the EU, where Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic are below 50%.

Nonetheless, an overwhelming majority, 89%, calls for more unity among member states against crises—only in the Czech Republic and Romania does the figure drop below 80%—while 76% advocate equipping the EU with more means to address global challenges, a matter that garners broad support in countries like Finland, Cyprus, or Malta and less support in Slovenia and Slovakia.

On the other hand, the demographic sample shows a positive record regarding the perception of the EU in member states, as 74% of citizens state that their country has benefited from joining the bloc.

This is the highest figure since 1983 when the Eurobarometer began to ask this question in its surveys. The figure consolidates the upward trend of the EU in member states themselves because a decade ago, in 2015, 60% of respondents noted the positive impact of the EU in their member states, and since the end of 2020, it has always recorded a figure of at least 70%.

In the case of Spain, 76% of respondents believe that the country has benefited from joining the EU, slightly above the European average, and in contrast to Italy, Latvia, Austria, Czech Republic, Greece, France, and Bulgaria, where less than 70% of respondents believe that joining the EU has benefited their country. (March 25)