Approximately seven in ten citizens, seven out of ten or about 67 percent, say they are inclined to vote in the upcoming elections. In the European context, turnout would be nine points higher than at the same point five years earlier if polls closed within a week. A key challenge remains: only 45 percent of EU residents are aware that the election appointment falls in 2024, specifically between June sixth and ninth. These figures appear in the spring Eurobarometer published this Tuesday. The report confirms a thread of economic pessimism that Europeans expect to shape the near future: fifty-two percent anticipate a worsening situation this year, a figure eight percentage points lower than six months ago.
“Elections matter. Voting gives citizens a voice on the issues that matter to them. I encourage everyone, especially young people, to head to the polls and help shape the EU they want to live in,” stated Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, in connection with the survey conducted at the start of March.
Results show that citizens across member states still place greater emphasis on national elections than on European ones. Fifty-six percent of respondents express interest in these elections, compared with forty-three percent who say they are not interested at all — eight points higher than in April 2018. Yet only three in ten, or twenty-eight percent, predicted the elections would occur in May or June. Belgians lead with forty-seven percent, followed by Hungarians at forty-four percent and Cypriots at forty-three percent. In contrast, the French show nine percent, Spaniards thirteen percent, and the Irish sixteen percent of interest.
“civic duty”
Regarding participation, the main motive cited for casting a vote is a sense of civic duty, a tradition of voting in elections, the desire to back a political party, the willingness to change something, support for a candidate, or a straightforward pledge to back the EU. Conversely, the primary reason cited for not voting is the belief that voting will not alter outcomes, a lack of interest in politics, distrust of the system in general, or disengagement with European Parliament affairs. In the Spanish example, the dominant belief is that voting will not change anything.
The study also explores the views of young people aged fifteen to twenty-four regarding elections. For instance, when asked about the date of the next European elections, only twenty-four percent correctly stated that the elections would be held between May and June of the following year, and only fifteen percent accurately described the year 2024, despite confusion about the month. This suggests that young adults in this age group may be slightly less likely than average to know the exact date of the next election. The reported turnout in the 2019 elections stood at fifty percent, and that level is acknowledged in the discussion.
worse situation
The Eurobarometer also notes that after a year of conflict in Ukraine, citizens feel a decline in their quality of life and anticipate economic deterioration. Nearly two-thirds express dissatisfaction with their governments’ responses to the crisis. In Spain, sixty-two percent of respondents believe living standards are falling and expect the trend to continue, a rise of twelve points from the prior survey. Additionally, a quarter of Spaniards feel that measures taken by their government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez are insufficient, while the population remains divided on EU policy responses.
Nevertheless, a large majority of Europeans remain hopeful about the future. Seventy-six percent approve of support measures for Ukraine, with notable variation by country, including Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, and Greece. Seventy-one percent believe EU policy affects daily life, and most preserve core values such as democracy, free and fair elections, freedom of expression, and respect for fundamental rights. In Spain, half of those surveyed are satisfied with democracy’s functioning within the EU, while sixty-nine percent approve of free and fair elections, sixty-eight percent trust freedom of expression, and sixty-four percent approve of fundamental rights. By contrast, only twenty-eight percent express satisfaction with anti-corruption efforts, and thirty-four percent believe political parties adequately represent the people.