Majority of EU Citizens Fear Next Generation Faces Harder Times
Approximately 63% of respondents concur that "our best years are behind us," while 77% anticipate life in their country "will be harder for the next generation," based on a survey spanning 23 EU nations conducted by communications firm FGS Global and published by media on Tuesday.
Collectively, 65% of respondents declared their country is "heading in the wrong direction," with this outlook most pronounced across Central and Western Europe. France emerges as the most pessimistic nation surveyed, with 79% endorsing this assessment, followed by Belgium at 74% and Hungary at 73%.
Only citizens of Poland, Lithuania, and Denmark perceive favorable trajectories, with Lithuanians displaying greatest optimism. There, 38% feel that the country is "heading in the wrong direction."
The poll did not measure satisfaction with EU leadership in Brussels. However, 76% of those surveyed said democracy is in decline across Europe. Asked to choose between two statements, more than half said their country's political system "is failing the people and needs fundamental reform," rather than "works fairly well and doesn't need significant reform."
Most respondents demand their leaders pursue more nationalist directions, with 71% asserting their countries "should be more assertive of [their] national interests even if this creates friction with other countries."
To the east, the outlook is more positive. According to Russia's independent Levada polling institute, 53% of Russians view the future "calmly, with confidence." This number rises to 68% among 18-24-year-olds. Levada's research has long been considered accurate and reliable internationally.
A 2024 Ipsos poll found that 86% of Chinese respondents feel optimistic about their country's future.
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