How the Public Views the European Union

Along with the Danes, the Swedes and the Finnish, Romanians are the most optimistic Europeans.

Corina Cristea, 26.02.2014, 13:42

According to the latest Eurobarometer, 68% of Romanians believe things are heading in the wrong direction in Romania, but only 28% believe the same about the European Union. Along with the Danes, the Swedes and the Finnish, Romanians are the most optimistic Europeans, according to the latest Eurobarometer conducted last autumn. On the other hand, the highest dissatisfaction with the measures taken by the European Union is reported in Greece, Italy and Portugal. Romania’s rapporteur Daniela Ionescu explains:

Daniela Ionescu: “49% of Romanians are satisfied and very satisfied with how democracy works in the European Union, including aspects such as the free movement of people, goods, services and capital.”

63% of Romanians are optimistic about the Union’s future. For 37% of them, the European Union is synonymous with democracy, for 32% with peace and for 25% with economic prosperity. 56% of Romanians share a feeling of belonging to the European community and almost half believe the Union is heading in the right direction to recover from the crisis and cope with new challenges.

According to a report looking at the first two months of the year, economic recovery will exceed expectations this year and the next, both across the Euro zone and the Union in general. The European Commission has also improved Romania’s economic growth forecast and believes this growth will be based on domestic demand instead of exports, as was the case in 2013.