European poll findings on globalisation and foreign policy: Majority of UK and EU citizens would back military action against Iran
04 April 2007
Open Europe today releases further findings from a poll of all 27 EU member states, looking at Europeans’ attitudes to globalisation and a range of foreign policy issues. TNS surveyed 17,443 people during March.
Key findings:
Foreign policy
A majority (51%) of people in the UK would back military action against Iran. A majority agreed with the statement “We must stop countries like Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, even if that means taking military action”. Across the EU as a whole, 52% said they agreed with the statement. A majority agreed with the statement in 18 member states, while a majority were against in 9 member states.
More people in the UK are concerned about Islamic fundamentalism than in any other EU country. 71% agreed with the statement that “Islamic fundamentalism is a serious threat for our country”, compared to an EU average of 58%.
However, few voters in the EU would be prepared to see cuts in other spending programmes to finance higher defence spending. Only 37% of UK voters and 23% of all EU voters agreed with the statement that, “Our country should spend more on defence and less on other things.”
Globalisation and competition
UK voters are the fourth most concerned about immigration of all 27 members. In the UK 77% agreed with the statement that “There is too much immigration into our country”, compared to an EU average of 59%. The three countries where concern was highest are all in the Mediterranean: Cyprus, Malta and Greece.
72% in the UK agreed with the statement that “We need to lower taxes in our country if we are going to be able to compete in the modern world”. Across the EU the average was 75%.
On the other hand, 51% in the UK backed more “green” taxes, compared to 46% across the EU as a whole. Support for the statement “We should be prepared to pay higher taxes to fight global warming” was highest in Sweden, at 70%. Generally, the new eastern European member states were more sceptical about green taxes.
Support for protectionist trade policies is highest in France. 73% of French voters agreed that “The EU needs to be protected against cheap goods and competition from countries with low social standards”, compared to an EU average of 63%, and 58% support in the UK.
Notes for editors
A breakdown of the results on globalisation and foreign policy is available at:
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/globalisation.xls
A full breakdown of all the results of the poll is available at:
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/europoll.xls
For more information contact Neil O’Brien on 0207 197 2333 or 07973 142775.
Total sample size was 17,443. TNS polled 1,000 people in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Britain and Romania and 500 people in other member states. As the telephone penetration rate is not high enough in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, interviews were conducted using face-to-face methodology. In all other countries interviews took place by telephone.