According to a report, most Europeans believe that the US political system has been broken, China will become the world’s leading power within ten years, and Joe Biden will not be able to prevent his country’s decline on the world stage.
Although many people welcomed Biden’s victory in the US election in November, more Europeans believe that the United States cannot be trusted after Donald Trump took office for four years. Research by the European Council on Foreign Relations.
“Europeans like Biden, but they don’t think the United States will become a global leader again,” said Mark Leonard, the head of the think tank. “When George W. Bush was president, they were divided on how the United States should use its power. As Biden entered the White House, they were divided on whether the United States had power.”
A survey of 15,000 people in 11 European countries at the end of last year found that the shift in European sentiment towards the United States after Trump took office has led to a corresponding reluctance to support Washington in potential international disputes.
For example, in all 11 countries surveyed, at least half of the respondents believe that their government should remain neutral in any conflict between the United States and the United States. China, And no more than 40% of people in any country said they would support Washington against Russia.
“It is clear that the turbulent Trump presidency has left an indelible mark on Europe’s attitude towards the United States,” said Ivan Krastev, chairman of the Freedom Strategy Center, Sofia NGO, and ECFR board member. “Most Europeans are now skeptical about the ability of the United States to shape the world. This makes many people, right or wrong, want to play a more independent role for the EU in the world.”
In their report, Leonard and Krastyev pointed out that although more than 60% of the interviewees believe that the United States has “collapsed”, most people have a much more positive evaluation of the European Union and their own country’s system—— They believe that this is an opportunity group to use collective power for the benefit and protection of its citizens.
The survey found that 51% of respondents disagreed that the United States under Biden’s leadership might resolve its internal differences and seek solutions to international issues such as climate change, peace in the Middle East, relations with China, or European security. .
In the general belief that China’s advantages are increasing, 79% of Spain, 72% of Portugal, 72% of Italy, and 63% of French respondents said that they believe that China will surpass the United States to become the world’s leader in the next ten years. superpower.
More than 32% of respondents — and an astonishing 53% of German respondents — believe that after voting for Trump, Americans are not worthy of trust. Only in Hungary and Poland, there are significantly more people who disagree with this view than those who agree.
Only 10% of respondents believe that the United States is always a “reliable” security partner to protect Europe, and in every country surveyed, at least 60% said they doubt their country can rely on it in a crisis The support of the United States.
According to the author, the geopolitical consequences of this transformation are significant: two-thirds of the interviewees said that it is important for Europe to take care of its own defenses, including 72% in Portugal, 71% in Sweden, 70% in France and 69% in Europe. Poland.
In every country surveyed, at least half of the respondents said they want the government to remain neutral in the Sino-US conflict. Among the 11 states surveyed, only 23% of respondents believe that their country should stand on Washington’s side against Russia, and 59% of respondents prefer to remain neutral.
Among the seven countries, 38% to 48% of respondents believe that the EU should take a tougher international stance on issues such as trade, taxation, and supervision, while most countries believe that Germany is now a more important country and can compete with Germany. maintain a good relationship”. United States.
The poll also showed that in 9 of the 11 countries—Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden—the average percentage of countries that were asked the same question in previous years Of people say that the EU’s political system is functioning well or quite well, which has risen from 46% to 48%.
The study found that those who believe their country’s political system is working (more common in Northern Europe than in Southern Europe) are more likely to say that the EU is successful.
The report identified four “tribes” and grouping the interviewees’ positions according to whether they think the EU, the United States, or China is rising or falling. The largest tribe “We Trust in Europe” accounted for 35% of the respondents, while only 9% belonged to “We Trust in America”.
