Three and a half months before the European elections, just over a third of Germans believe that membership in the European Union (EU) brings more benefits than disadvantages. This opinion is 37 percent, said the pollster Richard Hilmer on Tuesday evening at an event of union-friendly Hans Böckler Foundation in Berlin. For 24 percent outweigh the disadvantages. The largest group of respondents, at 39 percent, was of the opinion that advantages and disadvantages were in balance.
The attitude to the EU depends above all on the social status. Those who count themselves to the lower social classes, rather than regard the EU membership as disadvantageous. In the upper class, on the other hand, every second judge the advantages higher than the disadvantages.
Nevertheless, Hilmer hopes that a large majority of 83 percent of Germans would like closer cooperation between the EU member states. The concept of a core Europe finds 72 percent approval. The EU institutions enjoy similarly low levels of trust as the Federal Government or the Bundestag: Only one third of the interviewees said they had great or very great trust in the European Commission or the European Parliament.
Respondents want more dedication to security and justice
"European institutions are seamlessly joining in the rampant mistrust of institutions in general," said Hilmer. A much better reputation enjoyed only the European Court, similar to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe.
Hilmer also examined the extent to which citizens' entitlement to the EU is fulfilled on important topics. The biggest gaps between the importance of the tasks from the point of view of the interviewees and their fulfillment were shown by security and justice. Accordingly, the German people desperately wanted more EU involvement, such as fair taxation of international companies, equal pay for women and men, protection against crime and the joint fight against terrorism.