How did the COVID-19 pandemic change citizens’ attitudes towards the EU, towards national governments and towards each other?

Abstract

This presentation will report on the results of the April 2021 wave of the EUI-YouGov European Solidarity Survey and compare them to previous years. Did COVID-19 enhance or erode trust in national governments? Did it boost or undermine public support for the EU and for European integration? How did it affect the willingness to share resources – money, medical equipment, intensive-care beds, or vaccines – across European borders? How did the pandemic change citizens’ perceptions of policy priorities and challenges? European averages will be explained, as well as variation across member states, social classes, and political preferences (left-right; cosmopolitan – nationalist). Areas of continuity and change will be identified and compared to 2020 and 2019.