Euroscope – 11th wave

Introduction

The April 2026 Euroscope, conducted by Polling Europe in collaboration with OpinionWay and SWG, reveals that Europeans are concerned about international stability and economic issues, supportive of EU decision-making reform and digital sovereignty, and have clear opinions on food labeling and social media access for minors.

Key Insights:

1. International Politics:

• Perception of military operations in Iran: 57% of Europeans believe the large-scale military operations by the United States and Israel in Iran are not justified, compared to 27% who consider them justified. This sentiment is particularly strong in Italy (72% not justified) and Spain (69% not justified).
• Concern about Conflicts: A significant majority (86%) of Europeans are concerned about the war in Iran, with 51% being “very concerned.” Concern for the war in Ukraine is also high at 79%, with 44% “very concerned.”
• Participation in US Conflicts: There is limited support for European countries providing military assistance to the USA in cases like the attacks on Iran. Only 29% support sending warships, 28% authorize the use of military bases, 20% support providing military equipment, and 15% support direct military participation.
• Importance of multilateral organizations: A large majority of Europeans consider it important to preserve the power of multilateral organizations: NATO (81%), UN (80%), and G7 (68%). The “Board of Peace for Palestine” has a lower but still significant importance at 59%.

2. EU Issues:

• Most worrying threats: The top concerns for Europeans are the increase of inflation and prices (44%) and a new economic crisis (30%). The increase of tensions in international politics (24%) and the possibility of a war in their country (23%) are also significant concerns.
• Abandoning unanimity in EU decision process: 71% of Europeans agree that the EU should abandon the unanimity approach and shift towards mobile coalitions of countries for decision-making.
• Independence of European digital infrastructure: 66% of Europeans believe that digital sovereignty should be a top EU priority, even if it means slower progress in the short term. Only 21% think it makes more sense to rely on the best available technology regardless of origin.

3. Market Issues:

• Restriction of meat-related terms on plant-based products: 51% of Europeans agree with the EU’s decision to restrict the use of meat-related terms (e.g., “steak,” “bacon”) on plant-based food products, believing it misleads consumers. 26% disagree, stating these terms are descriptive and don’t cause confusion.
• Imposing age limitations to social media use: A strong majority (80%) of Europeans agree with introducing age limitations to prevent individuals under 16 from accessing social media.

4. Sports:

• Propensity to follow sports: While overall engagement with most sports is relatively stable or slightly declining, Football shows a slight increase in viewership intention (+5%). Rugby, Formula 1, Cycling, Basketball, and Volleyball show a decrease in “more” vs “less” following.