Fewer and fewer Europeans strongly support democracy, according to a new poll by European Movement International and Savanta. Romania is among the countries with the lowest support for democracy, the same study showed.
Published on Monday, July 28, the report highlights that people are disillusioned with democracy across Europe. Overall, only 36% are consistent supporters of democracy. The remaining 64% are inconsistent supporters of democracy, and more likely to say they prefer a stronger leader, up from previous years.
The survey included 3,500 people in seven of the largest EU countries, including Romania. It found that democratic values are the strongest in Sweden, where 52% value democracy. In all other countries, less than half of the population favors democracy consistently, falling as low as 30% in France and Romania. In Spain, only one in four consistently voiced support for democracy.
“The low percentage of consistent support for democracy is truly worrying,” Petros Fassoulas, secretary-general of the European Movement, told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook. “It does not mean, though, that our fellow citizens are anti-democratic. But they are disappointed, disempowered, and disillusioned; the very things that sow the seeds of authoritarianism,” he added.
Surprisingly, 71% of Romanians think that the country should prioritize advancing global peace and prosperity, even if it requires making sacrifices at home, the highest score among all countries. Simultaneously, 68% of Romanians think their country should avoid involvement in international affairs as much as possible and focus on domestic priorities. Romanians also claim to be most aware of EU political figures and institutions.
Roughly 60% of Romanians, the second-highest scoring country, after Poland, believe that EU membership brought net benefits to them personally and the country as a whole.
The study also revealed sizable backing for European cooperation, including support for Ukraine and partnerships on defense and tackling disinformation. Almost half of all those surveyed said they wanted to see the EU integrate its militaries to respond to growing threats from countries such as Russia.
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