Article for the 29th of March

EU policymakers, public opinion divided on partnership with US

Published: 22 March 2011

European attitudes towards the US have improved markedly since the election of President Barack Obama in 2008, without quite reaching the levels prior to the Iraq war. However, both EU policymakers and public opinion are split on the need for a stronger EU-US partnership, according to a new poll.

A new survey by the German Marshall Fund of the United States shows EU leaders and public opinion are divided on how close the EU-US partnership should be. 49% of policymakers were in favour of 'closer' relations and 35% were for 'more independent' relations, while public opinion was almost evenly split 42-38%. 

The poll, published last week, is the first of its kind since the 1960s and surveyed 512 policymakers and opinion leaders in Brussels and Washington, DC. MEPs, Congressmen, senior European Commission and Council officials, and leaders of businesses, labour unions and NGOs were among those interviewed.

The survey sheds new light on differences and commonalities of opinion in the US and the EU among the general public and political elites in Brussels and Washington, DC on issues such as relations with the US, the benefits of the euro, Turkish accession, the 'economic threat' of China and the use of force against Iran.

While EU and US attitudes towards one another were generally positive, elites were far more likely to be enthusiastic than the general public.

85% of EU policymakers polled considered US leadership 'desirable', while only 54% of the public thought the same. There were similar findings on questions such as whether EU-US relations were 'good' and whether the EU and the US shared common values.

German European People's Party MEP Elmar Brok, chairman of the Parliament's delegation for relations with the United States, said "we need to communicate more intensively so that the citizens understand the policies we do for them".

"The EU and the US are natural partners. We not only share a common history and common values, but the EU-US partnership is also the largest, most integrated and longest-lasting economic relationship," he added.

A clear EU-US divide on Turkey's accession to the bloc

Some of the findings were unsurprising for those in the 'Brussels bubble'. A majority of EU policymakers surveyed said Turkish membership of the EU would be a good thing, whereas only 22% of the public thought the same. In contrast, 71% of US leaders polled agreed.

The division between public opinion and the institutional apparatus was also evident on the euro. While 85% of EU policymakers considered the euro "positive for their country," only 38% of the general public agreed.

Interestingly, attitudes towards China's economic rise were very similar on both sides of the Atlantic. Almost two thirds of leaders polled in the EU and the US considered China to be an economic opportunity, whereas in both cases 51% majorities of the public considered China an economic threat, no doubt due to anxieties caused by the recession and outsourcing.

Differences over use of force, but publics hawkish on Iran

Confirming previous findings, strong differences on war and the use of force were found between the EU and the US.

Americans overwhelmingly agreed with the statement that "war is sometimes necessary to obtain justice". In contrast, less than half of EU leaders and a third of the public thought so.

US leaders and public opinion were more likely to favour sanctions and military force to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, both the US and EU general publics were significantly more likely than elites to favour military force to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons "if all nonmilitary options fail". 62% of Americans and 46% of Europeans polled agreed with that statement.