🔗 Share this article

An recent poll spanning 9 European nations reveals that nearly 50% of participants view ex- US President Trump as a foe of the continent”.

The poll also depicts a continent grappling with profound anxiety over geopolitical threats, felt national vulnerability, and a resounding desire for ongoing EU membership.

Widespread Perception of Trump as a Hostile Force

Across the board, close to 50% of participants in the nine countries characterized Trump as an clear enemy. This sentiment varied considerably from country to country.

• Respondents in Belgium recorded the strongest level of this opinion at sixty-two percent.
• It was followed by France at 57%.
• In contrast, Croatian participants were more convinced at 37%.
• Poland showed the lowest agreement at just nineteen percent.

“Throughout the region, the political movement associated with Trump is clearly considered a adverse entity,” stated a political science analyst involved with the research.

Commentary indicates this adverse perception is hardening, with a declining number of people now describing him as a neutral entity and an increasing number labeling him as certainly adversarial.

High Sense of Risk of War with Moscow

The poll found a stark perspective on security threats. A slight over half of those asked believed the risk of full-scale conflict with Russia in the coming years was elevated, with an additional eighteen percent rating it as very high.

This belief changed dramatically based on geographic proximity to Russia.

• In Poland, which borders with Russia, seventy-seven percent saw a elevated threat.
• This compares to France at fifty-four percent, Germany at fifty-one percent, Portugal at 39%, and Italy at 34%.

“This finding would have been unthinkable just a several years ago and indicates the shift of European opinion toward a different geopolitical regime,” the analyst noted.

Minimal Faith in National Defense Ability

Accompanying this feeling of foreign danger was a widespread lack of confidence in home military preparedness.

Throughout all nine countries, a notable 69% of respondents stated their nation was “not very” or “not” able to resist against potential aggression from Moscow.

• French emerged as the most confident, yet even there it was a less than half opinion.
• Polish citizens, fifty-eight percent expressed doubt in their nation's defensive power.

“We are entering an era of danger while feeling a ongoing sense of domestic incapacity,” the analyst remarked.

Strong Backing for the EU and Its Defensive Function

In spite of these concerns, the poll revealed strong support for the European Union. Fully 74% of those surveyed expressed they wanted their nation to stay in the Union.

• Support was highest in Portuguese respondents (ninety percent) and Spanish respondents (89%).
• It was lowest in Polish respondents (sixty-eight percent) and French respondents (sixty-one percent).

Furthermore, when asked about the UK's choice to leave the EU (the Brexit vote), 63% of respondents thought it had a detrimental impact on the UK, with only 19% seeing it as positive.

The research also highlighted a evident desire for the EU to take on a more protective function. Some 69% of respondents stated the Union should play such a part in addressing shared challenges like digital insecurity and defense risks.