What do EU citizens think they have in common?

Things in common in their country

81% of respondents believe they have a lot in common with others in their country. At a national level, the Spring 2024 Standard Eurobarometer survey reveals that more than 70% of respondents in every EU Member State agree that people in their country have a lot of things in common, with the largest proportions coming from Ireland and Greece (both 97%), and Portugal and Sweden (both 95%). The lowest proportions are in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, but a substantial majority of 71% of respondents still agree Since Autumn 2023, there has been an overall decrease of 2 percentage points (pp) in the proportion of respondents who believe that people in their country have a lot of things in common with each other at EU level/ t This has also fallen in 13 Member States, most notably in the Netherlands, where it has decreased by 6 percentage points.

Things in common within the EU

Additionally, close to two-thirds of respondents (65%) agree that people in the EU have a lot of things in common, while 31% disagree. In every EU Member State, an absolute majority of respondents agree that people in the EU have a lot of things in common, with the highest percentages in Sweden (83%), Ireland (82%) and Portugal (78%), and the lowest in France (51%) Belgium (54%) and Estonia (55%). This proportion of respondents believing that people in the EU have a lot of things in common increased by 2 percentage points at the EU level since Autumn 2023, and it increased in 18 Member States, most strikingly in Portugal and Cyprus (+13 pp and +8 pp respectively).

Do people in the EU think they have a lot in common with their Eastern neighbourhood?

Finally, 45% of EU citizens agree that people in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood countries have a lot of things in common with people in the EU, with a relative majority of 47% disagreeing with this statement. In 11 EU Member States, a majority of respondents agree that people in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood countries have a lot of things in common with people in the EU, with the highest proportion being found in Sweden (66%), Croatia (64%) and Romania (63%). In contrast, in 16 EU Member States, majorities of respondents disagree with the statements, most strikingly in the Netherlands (61% ‘disagree’ vs 37% ‘agree”) and Cyprus (61%vs 32%).

Compared to the Autumn 2023 Standard Eurobarometer, the share of respondents who believe that people in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood countries have a lot of things in common with people in the EU has increased in 21 EU Member States, most strikingly in Romania (63%, +11 percentage points) and Bulgaria (59%, +11 pp).