Continued Clear Majority for Austria's EU Membership
In a new survey, 60 percent of respondents believe that Austria should remain a member of the European Union, according to a study by the Austrian Society for European Politics (ÖGfE).
After FPÖ Victory in EU Election: Approval for Austria's EU Membership Declines
In June, 76 percent of respondents expressed support for EU membership, which ÖGfE Secretary General Paul Schmidt interpreted as a reaction to the FPÖ's victory in the European elections. While only 17 percent declared themselves in favor of leaving the EU at that time, it is now 25 percent. The proportion of those who did not provide any information increased from 7 to 15 percent.
The support for EU membership now exactly matches the value of the accession month of January 1995. In the total of 72 surveys since accession, only in April 2016 - two months before the Brexit referendum in the UK - was such low support measured. The historical low from 2008 (59 percent) coincided with a heated domestic debate about the ratification of the EU Treaty of Lisbon.
"The multitude of problems and the resulting uncertainty also affect the domestic EU mood," Schmidt commented on the current survey result. "Not all population groups see themselves as winners of integration and worries and dissatisfaction mix into the assessment of the current situation of the EU." Schmidt also emphasized that the approval for EU membership averaged 70 percent over the past 30 years, while an average of 22 percent were in favor of leaving the EU. The highest approval for EU membership was found in November 1999 (82 percent), the strongest desire to leave was registered in June/July 2008 (33 percent).
More Austrians See Themselves as Europeans
The current survey shows that identification with Europe has increased. Now, 47 percent of respondents would see themselves as "Austrian and European", 13 percentage points more than five years ago. Conversely, the proportion of those who see themselves "only as Austrian" has decreased by 18 percentage points to 43 percent. 73 percent believe that the introduction of the Euro has had a positive impact on Austria, and 70 percent see the end of passport and border controls as positive for Austria, with 52 percent holding this view on EU expansions.
However, 71 percent of respondents see the EU as "weak", 61 percent perceive it as "unsafe" and 54 percent as "unsocial". 55 percent are pessimistic about the future of the European Union. The EU mood in Austria is thus "mixed", Schmidt concluded. "To turn this around for the better, we need a narrative of the future that conveys confidence and creates trust, as well as a Europe that can tackle and implement these in the interest of the people, to increase security and prosperity," said the ÖGfE Secretary General.
The online survey was conducted from December 2 to 5 by the market research institute market on behalf of the ÖGfE. 1,000 people between the ages of 16 and 80 were surveyed, who are representative of age, gender, region, and education. The statistical margin of error is +/- 3.16 percent.
(APA/Red)
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