Cypriots are concerned about the course of the country and the European Union, according to the latest regular Eurobarometer.
Some 52% of Cypriots are not satisfied with how democracy works in the country (41% in the EU), while 56% are satisfied with democracy in the EU (56% in the EU).
Particularly noteworthy is that 58% of Cypriot respondents receive news from social networks (the highest percentage in the EU, where the average is 29%), while they say they often come across news or information they believe distorts reality or is even false (84% in Cyprus, 69% in the EU).
Regarding the future, only 54% of Cypriot respondents are optimistic (the same percentage as the Eurobarometer of Spring 2022). This is the fourth lowest share in the EU, where the average is 62%.
More specifically, 58% of Cypriots think that, in general, things are heading in the wrong direction (down 3% from Spring 2022).
Both Cypriots and other Europeans also think things are heading in the wrong direction in the EU (54%, down 4%, 52% in the EU).
However, both think things are heading in the right direction in their personal lives (68% in Cyprus, up 7%, 66% in the EU).
Cypriots are generally satisfied with their lives (80%, -2% since Spring 2022), as are Europeans (83%).
They rate the general situation in their country as bad (57%, down 4% from 2022, 58% in the EU), as well as the current state of their national economy (61%, down 7%, 63% in the EU), while they consider the state of the European economy to be good (46%, up 7%, 40% in the EU).
However, they expect things to remain the same in the next 12 months.
Cypriots tend to trust the health sector and national medical staff (71% in Cyprus, 76% in the EU), the army (69%, 71% respectively), regional or local public authorities (52%, 56%) and the justice and legal system (48%, 54%).
On the contrary, they do not trust political parties (83% in Cyprus, 75% in the EU), NATO (68%, 39% respectively), the Parliament (67%, 61%) and in equal numbers, the media (65%, 58%) and the national government (65%, 63%).
The survey was carried out in Cyprus with a sample of 504 people in the Republic during February.
Russian invasion
About the EU’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 45% said they were satisfied (56% in the EU), and 48% were dissatisfied (38% in the EU).
On their government’s response to the Russian invasion, 47% said they were satisfied (55% on average in the EU), and 48% were dissatisfied (40% in the EU).
Regarding the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 90% of respondents in Cyprus believe that it has serious consequences for them personally and 97% that it has serious economic consequences for the country (63% and 86%, respectively, in the EU).
A significant percentage of respondents in Cyprus (72%) consider the Russian invasion to be a threat to EU security, quite close to the EU average (81%).
Most Cypriot respondents believe that defence cooperation in the EU and investment in renewable energy sources should increase.
Migration
Asked which issues they consider the most important facing Cyprus, the most popular answers were migration (52%, 9% in the EU), rising prices, inflation and the cost of living (46%, 53% in the EU), and the country’s economic situation (32%, 19%).
Cypriots considered these three issues to be the most important facing Europe, with 48% choosing immigration (17% on average in the EU), 30% rising prices (32% EU) and 30% the economic situation of the country (18% EU).
The order was reversed when respondents were asked what the most important issues they face personally, with 58% choosing rising prices (62% – it was also the top EU-level answer for the most important issue facing each country and Europe), 19% immigration (3% EU) and 18% the economic situation of their household (15% EU).
However, in terms of their satisfaction with the life they live, 80% of respondents in Cyprus (83%), on average in the EU, answered generally very or fairly satisfied.
The highest percentage of positive responses to this question was recorded in Denmark (98%) and Sweden (97%) and the lowest in Romania (58%) and Greece (61%).
Reception of EU
When asked about their image of the EU, 42% of Cypriot respondents answered they have a positive image (45% EU) and a neutral image 37% (36% EU).
Asked what they consider the most positive outcome of the EU, 58% in Cyprus (52% in the EU) chose the free movement of people of goods and services.
However, only 33% (60% on average) think that the country’s interests are taken into account at the EU level, and the majority think that their country’s opinion is not taken enough into account (64%, 34% in the EU).
Some 68% in Cyprus (53% EU) think their voice does not count in the EU.
However, despite the above figures, 59% in Cyprus do not think the country could face the future in a better way outside the EU (65% on average in the EU).
A significant 79% of Cypriots feel like a citizen of the EU (74% EU), but only 59% feel connected to the EU (61% EU).
