According to conventional wisdom, the eurozone crisis has reduced citizens’ trust in the EU and in European institutions in general across all member states, with several recent reports claiming that the German public, in particular, has turned its back on Europe. But the conventional wisdom is simply wrong.
BRUSSELS – According to conventional wisdom, the eurozone crisis has reduced citizens’ trust in the European Union – and in European institutions in general – across all member states. Several recent reports have claimed that the German public, in particular, has turned its back on Europe.
For example, a recent briefing note by Open Europe claims that German citizens tend to trust the European Parliament less than their national parliament and detects a trend of declining German trust in EU institutions since the start of the crisis. Similarly, a commentary by the European Council on Foreign Relations states: “Trust in the EU has plummeted across the continent. Both southern debtors and northern creditors feel like they are victims.” And a Pew Research Center report released in May, entitled “The New Sick Man of Europe: The European Union,” concludes: “The European project now stands in disrepute across much of Europe.”
This narrative is simply wrong. In fact, Germans’ trust in the euro has been increasing throughout the crisis, and, though their trust in EU institutions was falling until a couple of years ago, it has now recovered.
BRUSSELS – According to conventional wisdom, the eurozone crisis has reduced citizens’ trust in the European Union – and in European institutions in general – across all member states. Several recent reports have claimed that the German public, in particular, has turned its back on Europe.
For example, a recent briefing note by Open Europe claims that German citizens tend to trust the European Parliament less than their national parliament and detects a trend of declining German trust in EU institutions since the start of the crisis. Similarly, a commentary by the European Council on Foreign Relations states: “Trust in the EU has plummeted across the continent. Both southern debtors and northern creditors feel like they are victims.” And a Pew Research Center report released in May, entitled “The New Sick Man of Europe: The European Union,” concludes: “The European project now stands in disrepute across much of Europe.”
This narrative is simply wrong. In fact, Germans’ trust in the euro has been increasing throughout the crisis, and, though their trust in EU institutions was falling until a couple of years ago, it has now recovered.