Despite the US considering Europe its strongest ally, it seems that not all Europeans are fans of US President Donald Trump. A recent survey, cited by The Guardian, showed that almost half of Europeans view the US president as an enemy of Europe. People are also worried about the possibility of war with Russia. More than two-thirds of those surveyed said they do not believe their country could defend itself if such a war occurred.
The poll was conducted in nine countries: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It was done for the European affairs debate platform Le Grand Continent.
Nearly half of Europeans see Trump as ‘enemy of Europe’
According to the survey result cited by the Guardian, on average, 48% of people across these countries said they see Trump as a clear foe. The number was highest in Belgium (62%) and France (57%) and lowest in Croatia (37%) and Poland (19%).
“Trumpism is widely seen as a hostile force across Europe,” Jean-Yves Dormagen, a political science professor and founder of the polling agency Cluster17, told the Guardian. He also said that Europe is going through big changes in its politics and security situation. People feel anxious and aware of their vulnerabilities, and they are struggling to imagine a positive future.
However, despite the negative sentiment towards the POTUS, Europeans still think the US is an important ally. When asked about EU policy towards the US, 48% said compromise would be the best approach.
Europeans fear war under Trump’s administration
The survey found that 51% of respondents think the risk of an open war with Russia in the coming years is high, while 18% said the risk is very high. According to the expert, such worry would have been unimaginable a few years ago. In Poland, which borders Russia, 77% think the risk is high. In France, it’s 54%, Germany 51%, Portugal 39%, and Italy 34%.
Low confidence in the National defence
Across all nine countries, confidence in national armies is low. About 69% said they believe their country could not defend itself well against Russia. In Poland, 58% said their country could not defend itself. French respondents were the most confident, but only 44% felt capable.
Only 12% of people said they did not feel threatened by security issues, which include military, technology, energy, and food security. Tech and digital security were the top concerns (28%). Military security stood at (25%). Many Europeans want help from the EU. About 69% said the EU should play a protective role.
Confidence in the EU remains high
The survey shows strong support for staying in the European Union. About 74% of respondents said their country should remain in the EU. Support was highest in Portugal (90%) and Spain (89%) and lowest in Poland (68%) and France (61%).
Brexit ‘a mistake’
Five years after Brexit, most Europeans believe the UK’s exit from the EU was a mistake. About 63% said leaving the EU had a negative impact on Britain. Only 19% felt it had a positive effect, and just 5% thought it was very positive.