Climate change, war, immigration and Russia stand out as the top concerns for Spaniards in that order. This finding comes from the Transatlantic Trends 2022 report, a study conducted in 14 countries between June and July, focusing on international politics and transatlantic relations.
The invasion of Ukraine and the resulting geopolitical volatility have noticeably shifted the worries of people in Europe and North America. The climate crisis remains a central issue for the West, while interest in pandemics or terrorism has markedly declined. In contrast, war and Russia are now two topics that greatly unsettle the public.
The BBVA Foundation participated in the study, which shows Spaniards are highly concerned about climate change, with 22 percent ranking it first, higher than the European average of 19 percent. War follows as the second biggest concern in Spain, at 19 percent, just ahead of migration at 19 percent (versus 12 percent on average in Europe). Russia concerns Spaniards at 11 percent, and Europeans at 19 percent overall.
The consultation included 22,133 people, with 1,500 respondents from Spain. Southern European countries report climate as the main challenge: Italy 34 percent, Portugal 29 percent, France 28 percent, and Spain 22 percent. In Canada, 24 percent identify climate as the main challenge. In contrast, war is a greater concern in southern regions, while Lithuania, Turkey and Poland show less attention to the topic.
United States, reliable partner
The United States presents a more fragmented map of challenges, with climate change mentioned by only 14 percent, lower than most European countries.
Spaniards tend to address Russia through the European Union more often than their continental peers, with 48 percent choosing this route versus 36 percent in the EU average. The same pattern emerges regarding relations with China, where 58 percent prefer EU-led coordination, compared to 46 percent on average in Europe.
Spaniards display a somewhat less optimistic outlook than the broader European sphere. Trust in US influence remains positive, at 56 percent, below the EU average of 61 percent. The majority view the United States as a very or fairly reliable partner, yet this is lower than the EU average of 62 percent compared with 69 percent.
The United States is seen today as the world’s most influential actor, but this influence is not viewed as sustainable. Respondents anticipate major geopolitical shifts over the next five years, with a predicted decrease in US global influence and a rise in China’s.
There is broad support for US involvement in defending Europe, and Europeans expect the European Union to play a key role in national security. The share wanting US engagement in European defense has risen since 2021 in countries like Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands.
Relations with Russia and China
Interviewees favor EU coordination as the best channel to manage relations with both Russia and China. On China, most respondents support a tougher approach, especially in France and Spain. However, amid a hypothetical Taiwan crisis, there is no clear majority in favor of sending weapons or troops.
Finland and Sweden seeking NATO membership enjoys strong support across surveyed countries except in Turkey.
Russia is viewed unfavorably across all countries that participated in the survey, with an average of roughly three out of four respondents expressing concern. In the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal this figure nears 80 percent.
Democracy is subject to varying perceptions: about 6 percent of Spaniards rate democracy as excellent, 49 percent as good, 28 percent as weak, and 15 percent as endangered. The global average stands at 9 percent excellent, 41 percent good, 25 percent weak and 20 percent endangered. Countries like Sweden, Portugal and Canada are seen as having the strongest democratic performance, while Poland, Italy and Turkey are viewed less favorably.
Referenced within the report is a detailed analysis by the Transatlantic Trends project. Attribution: BBVA Foundation.
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