Germany´s View on the EU (November 2023)

The study on the image of Europe in Germany was conducted by dimap on behalf of the Federal Press Office. In the survey period from 30.10.2023 to 10.11.2023, the German population aged 16 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI) on the following topics: attitudes towards the EU and the European elections as well as assessment of EU policy. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage random sample based on the RDD method, including landline and mobile phone numbers (dual-frame sample). For special insights into the attitudes of the younger population, the sample was increased in the under-25 age group. The results for this additional sample, which was carried out in the survey period 13.11.2023 to 01.12.2023, can be found in a separate data set.<br>Interest in the European Union and EU policies: attachment to the city, federal state, Germany and Europe; valued influence in the world of different countries or regions (European Union (EU), USA, China, Africa, Russia and Germany); interest in European Union policies; frequency of information about European Union policies; informedness about European Union policies; strengths of the European Union (open); weaknesses of the European Union (open).

Perception of the role of the EU: advantages or disadvantages of Germany´s membership of the EU; strength of the impact of EU policy on the lives of people in Germany.

Future EU policy issues: importance of various EU policy areas (protection of the EU´s external borders, strengthening cohesion among member states, stabilization of the euro, closer cooperation in defense policy, more balanced distribution of refugees and asylum seekers among member states); progress of the EU in the aforementioned areas; development of things in the European Union more in the right direction vs. the wrong direction; EU interferes too much in the affairs of individual member states; preferences with regard to future cooperation in the European Union (countries should deepen their cooperation and hand over more responsibilities to the EU, countries should act more alone again and take back responsibilities from the EU, nothing significant should change in terms of cooperation between EU countries); policy areas in which EU member states should cooperate more closely vs. should act more nationally (in foreign and security policy, in climate and energy policy, in refugee policy, in social policy, in economic and financial policy and in digital policy); perception of joint projects of the EU member states in the aforementioned areas.

Election to the European Parliament: Trust in institutions (EU Commission, EU Parliament, EU Council of Ministers, European Council of Heads of State and Government, United Nations, NATO, German Federal Government and Bundestag); perception of the EU Parliament as rather more or rather less corrupt, assertive, influential, slow in decision-making processes, participation in the last election to the EU Parliament in 2019; intention to vote in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament; Reasons for not voting in the European elections (dissatisfaction with EU policies, little or no interest in EU policies, parties all seem largely the same to me, do not see my own interests represented by any party, my vote has no influence on the election result); influence of the population on the decisions of the European Union; opinion on lowering the voting age to 16 for elections to the European Parliament; voting age should also be lowered to 16 for Bundestag elections; importance of a high voter turnout in the 2024 European elections.

Demography: sex; age; federal state; Berlin east/west; city size; size of household; number of people in household under 18; highest educational qualification; desired school-leaving qualification; party preference.

Additionally coded were: Respondent number; weight.