Survey: Two-thirds of Europeans want EU to ensure their protection, Romanians less enthusiastic
A new Eurobarometer survey conducted in the winter of 2025 shows that 66% of European citizens want the EU to take on a more significant role in protecting them against global crises and security risks. Romania, however, has the lowest share of people who hold the same opinion, 47%, surpassing only Poland (44%).
The survey found strong support for several key issues. First of all, it indicates that 89% of European citizens (75% of Romanians) participating in the survey say that EU member states should be more united in facing current global challenges. Romania has the lowest percentage of respondents who completely agree with this statement.
Secondly, more than six in ten European citizens (62%) would like the European Parliament to play a more significant role, representing a six-percentage-point increase compared to February-March 2024, just months before the European elections in June 2024. Among Romanian respondents, 58% would like the European Parliament to play a more significant role, five percentage points more than before the European elections.
Moreover, 76% of Europeans (71% of Romanian respondents) believe that the European Union needs more resources to address future challenges.
"Two-thirds of Europeans want the EU to play a more significant role in ensuring their protection. This is a clear call to action, and we will respond. Europe must be stronger so that our citizens feel safe. The European Parliament will ensure that every proposal in this regard is bold and ambitious enough to match the serious level of threats facing Europe. Europe must take action today, or it risks being sidelined tomorrow,” said European Parliament president Roberta Metsola.
The same survey shows that defense and security (36%), as well as competitiveness, economy, and industry (32%), are identified by European citizens as the main areas on which the EU should focus to strengthen its global position. While the results for defense and security have remained stable compared to February/March 2024, those for competitiveness, economy, and industry have increased by five points. The next points of focus are energy independence (27%), food security and agriculture (25%), and education and research (23%).
For Romanian citizens, the priorities the EU should focus on to strengthen its global position are food security and agriculture (32%), defense and security (31%), followed by competitiveness, economy, and industry (29%), energy independence, resources, and infrastructure (26%), EU values, including democracy and human rights protection (23%), education and research (21%), foreign relations and diplomacy (19%), and demographics, migration, and population aging (19%).
Economic and security issues are also at the forefront of topics that citizens want the European Parliament to address as a priority. Four in ten Europeans mention inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living (43%) as priorities, followed by EU defense and security (31%), fighting poverty and social exclusion (31%), and supporting the economy and creating new jobs (29%).
Inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living are the top priorities for all age groups, with the highest concern recorded in Portugal (57%), France (56%), Slovakia (56%), Croatia (54%), and Estonia (54%).
Romanian citizens believe that the European Parliament should prioritize issues such as inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living (44%), supporting the economy and creating new jobs (38%), and fighting poverty and social exclusion (30%).
Regarding the values Europeans would like the European Parliament to uphold, peace (45%), democracy (32%), and human rights protection within the EU and worldwide (22%) rank highest. The results for this question have remained stable.
Romanian citizens would like the European Parliament to defend values such as peace (30%), freedom of movement (26%), and democracy (25%).
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