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‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 1TNS Europe
In a year’s time, the eighth Europe-wide elections will
be held in the EU. Between 22 and 25 May 2014, the
citizens of 28 Member States (Croatia will join the EU in
July 2013) will vote to elect representatives to sit in the
European Parliament. It’s difficult to be optimistic about
these elections. Indeed, the current 5-year-old financial
crisis is on everyone’s mind, eclipsing all other topics. When
Europeans are asked which EU-related topics they would like
to have more information about, the most-mentioned items
all concern the economy: EU solutions to tackle the crisis
(34%), and a European investment plan to create new jobs
including jobs for young people (33%). A fifth or more of
Europeans would also like to know more about their rights
as EU citizens (28%) or consumer protection (20%). All
other factors are cited much less often. At the very bottom
of this list of 14 items, European elections are mentioned by
just 7% of Europeans.
A national analysis reveals that European elections are the
least-mentioned topic about which Europeans would like
more information in 24 of the 27 Member States. Ireland,
Italy and Portugal are the only exceptions – but, even in
these countries, less than 12% of citizens would like to
be more informed about European elections. It is quite
clear that this subject struggles to make an impression
when compared with economic, social or societal topics –
despite the fact that European elections will have a strong
influence on all these themes. However, this also presents
an opportunity. The EU challenge is about making citizens
understand that their vote will have a strong influence on
the economy, monetary policy, the importance given to
environmental protection, etc. Success in this area might
put an end to the continuous decline in voting in European
elections since 1979.
An analysis of the results by socio-demographic categories
gives no cause for greater optimism. Those who see their
glass as half full might point out that younger Europeans
are more likely to mention European elections: 9% of 15-24
year olds and 11% of students cited this item, compared
with 7% overall. But it is more realistic to see this glass as
half empty: even in these categories, European elections are
among the least mentioned topics!
‘Think...’May 2014 will see the eighth Europe-wide elections to the European Parliament. Since the first elections in 1979, the turn-out has decreased continuously – from 62% in 1979 to 43% in 2009. A year ahead of the next elections, at a time when public attitudes towards the European Union are generally negative, there are reasons for concern about how much interest and participation the vote will attract. How do citizens see these elections? How can European institutions increase the turn-out? What would raise public interest?
Growth Insight
Precise insights for European growth
European attitudes at the next Euro elections
continued on next page
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 2TNS Europe
On which topics related to the EU would you like to have more information?
Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB), The Parlemeter for the European Parliament, EB78.2, December 2012, conducted by TNS
‘Think ...’ lessons for business:
Are European businesses interested in EU politics? Most
definitely. It is very clear that companies have been, and
still are impacted by the EU: the euro, the internal market,
European laws, subsidies, all these issues are part of business
life nowadays…Without being politically-oriented, managers
need to be aware that their activities are directly influenced
by European policies, and therefore by the results of the
European elections. People sometimes feel that they are not
affected by European policies. Realising that they have an
impact on their working lives – and how – might help them
to understand the importance of these elections.
Training employees in the European rules that impact
working life would benefit businesses. Trained employees
would have a better grasp of the different European laws
and directives their company needs to respect (including
European labels, etc.).
Citizens are mainly interested in topics related to the
financial crisis and the economy. For governments and
European institutions, the challenge is to demonstrate how
these aspects are directly affected by European policies, and
therefore by the European elections; and to remind citizens
how the EU influences the economy in their country. An
effective communication strategy, with a focus on education,
might increase public interest in these next elections. And,
for once, the results of these actions will be immediately
visible: by the evening of 25 May 2014, the world will know
whether governments and institutions have succeeded in
raising people’s interest. Or not.
Growth Insight continued
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 3TNS Europe
Only a small proportion of Europeans want to know more about European elections, but a large majority say that voting in these elections is by far the best way to ensure their voice is heard by EU decision-makers. A paradox?
Feeling that your voice is heard by the European Union is
key when it comes to general attitudes towards the EU.
Eurobarometer results (probably the biggest Europe-wide
public opinion survey) demonstrate that a belief that ‘my
voice counts’ is a powerful factor in indicating support for
the EU (image, trust, etc.). Citizens who say that their voice
is not taken into account by the EU tend to have negative
attitudes, whereas the more they think they are heard by the
EU, the more they trust European institutions. It is therefore
important to ask citizens how best to ensure that their
voice is heard by decision-makers in the EU. From a list of
eight options, voting in the European elections is by far the
most mentioned item, cited by more than half of Europeans
(57%). The item in second position is mentioned by only
around half as many (using the European Citizens’ Initiative,
29%).
In some EU Member States, the results are even more
striking: seven in ten respondents or more mention voting in
European elections in Sweden (82%), Denmark (80%), the
Netherlands (75%), France (74%) and Germany (71%). At
the other end of the scale, the fewest respondents to cite
this item are found in the Czech Republic (34%), Lithuania
(34%), and Poland (39%). However, despite these wide
differences, voting in European elections comes first in every
EU Member State (equally with using the European Citizens’
Initiative in Cyprus). There is a similar consensus across
the different socio-demographic categories: voting in the
European elections is the first item mentioned by the young
and by older people, managers and manual workers, the
most and the least educated.
There is a paradox in public attitudes to voting. Only a few
Europeans would like to receive more information about the
European elections – but, at the same time, they recognise
that it is the best way to have their voice heard by decision-
makers in the EU. While this discrepancy can be seen as
disappointing and discouraging, it can also be perceived
as an opportunity: there is real scope for improvement. If
Europeans were unable to attach any positive ideas to the
European elections, it would be quite a challenge to raise
their interest, and, ultimately, to persuade them to turn
out. As this is not the case, it offers an important lever for
changing the situation for the better.
Growth Insight
continued on next page
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 4TNS Europe
‘Think ...’ lessons for business:
These results indicate that just 12% of Europeans consider
that joining a trade union is a good way of ensuring that
their voice is heard by decision-makers in the EU. In some
countries, this proportion is higher: 24% in Belgium, 22%
in Ireland, and 21% in Austria gave this answer. European
businesses can play a role here: they could help trade unions
to regain some vigour, especially in countries where they
are weak. The German example shows that powerful trade
unions facilitate social dialogue within a company, which
ultimately benefits the business. This also improves the
image of a company, as social dialogue is generally seen in a
positive light.
For their part, European governments and institutions need
to try closing the gap between what people say (voting is the
best way to be heard), and what people really do (not voting
to the European elections). Communication campaigns to
encourage people to vote must stress this aspect: ‘Feel your
voice is not heard in the EU? You can change things. Vote!’
In some countries, we could envisage a campaign drawing
on the survey results: ‘53% of Romanians think that voting
in European elections is the best way of being heard by
European decision makers. Yet just 28% voted in the last
elections. What’s the matter with you??!! Vote!’ Of course,
this would work better in countries that are used to assertive
communication campaigns.
Growth Insight continued
Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB), Europeans two years from the next European elections for the European Parliament,
EB77.4, June 2012, conducted by TNS
The election of a European President...
Which of the following are the best ways of ensuring that your voice is heard by decison-makers in the EU?
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 5TNS Europe
A year ahead of the next European elections, the results are impossible to predict. When Member States continue to struggle with the effects of the crisis, and public attitudes towards the EU are so negative, optimism is low. How can European institutions act to change things for the better?
At a time when most Europeans’ attitudes towards the EU
are generally negative, there are major concerns about the
next European elections: first, in terms of the results, as
the composition of the next European parliament will give
a good indication of the path that will be followed by the
European Union over the next five years. And the general
public attitude towards the EU does not really encourage
optimism, with the rise of extremists, nationalists and
Europhobic parties in several EU Member States. Second,
the turn-out in these next elections is also a worry. Indeed,
a new rise in abstention would send a particular political
signal about the future of the EU. The European Parliament
is the most trusted European institution, especially since it’s
the only one elected by citizens. The more abstention rises,
the less the EP will be seen to represent European citizens.
Therefore, encouraging the public to vote is an important
challenge for the EU and its institutions.
How can the EU increase public interest in the next
European elections? Electing the President of the European
Commission during these elections seems to be one
effective way of encouraging citizens to vote. After all, an
outright majority of Europeans say that if their vote were to
contribute, even indirectly, to the election of the President
of the Commission, it would make them more likely than
at present to vote (54%). Respondents in Cyprus (61%),
Germany (61%) and, most strikingly, in Greece (67%) are
the most likely to say that taking part in the election of the
head of the Commission would encourage them to vote.
Interestingly, this opinion is most widespread in countries
where trust in the EU is below the European average (31%
in Cyprus, 30% in Germany, and 18% in Greece compared
with 33% in the EU as a whole in the most recent Standard
Eurobarometer). Even in Member States where this opinion
is the least widespread, more than four in ten respondents
say that they would be more tempted to vote if their ballot
involved the election of the President of the Commission:
41% in Estonia, 44% in Slovenia, 45% in Lithuania and
45% in Denmark.
Even more striking, a majority – albeit thin – of the
respondents who didn’t vote in the 2009 European elections
say that participating indirectly in the election of the
President of the European Commission would make them
more likely to vote in the future (45% vs. 44% who say that
this not the case).
Europeans seem to think that the EU lacks a face. And, if
that’s going to change, they would like to be part of the
process.
Growth Insight
continued on next page
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 6TNS Europe
‘Think ...’ lessons for business:
The next European elections will be held from Thursday
22 May to Sunday 25 May 2014. In other words, some
countries will vote on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. As
elections during the working week might have a negative
impact on turn-out, European businesses could take steps
to simplify the lives of those employees who would like to
participate in these elections.
Analysis of turn-out in the last European elections (2009)
reveals wide variations between countries. While more
than nine in ten citizens voted in Luxembourg and Belgium
(where voting is compulsory), less than a fifth did so in
Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia. Besides Luxembourg and
Belgium, high turn-outs were seen in some Member States
where voting is not compulsory: Malta (78.8%), Italy (65%)
and Denmark (59.5%), to name just a few. Governments
and European institutions need to look at the measures
taken in European countries where participation was high.
Although cultural and historical reasons play an important
role in explaining these differences, it might provide ideas
about how to boost public interest in countries where few
people show up at the polling stations.
It takes time to publicise political change. If the President of
the European Commission is elected – directly or indirectly
– through the votes of European citizens, then European
institutions should make sure that people know about it
well beforehand! Putting emphasis on the fact that this
represents an important change.
It’s important to choose candidates early, not just a few
months before the elections. Otherwise, there is a real risk
that citizens will not have enough time to take it all in and
weigh up their options.
Growth Insight continued
Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB) Employment and social
policy for the European Commission, FL363, September-
October 2011, conducted by TNS
Imagine that, at the next European elections, the
major European political alliances present a candidate
for the post of President of the European Commission,
based on a joint programme. The citizens of every
Member State would therefore indirectly participate
in the election of the President of the European
Commission if his\her political alliances won the
European elections.
Would this encourage you more than at present to
vote?
‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 7TNS Europe
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Precise plans for GrowthBusiness Growth
� Train employees about EU laws and directives
To help citizens understand the importance of European
elections, companies need to provide staff training
about EU laws and directives that impact their business
lives. Election results will have an influence on their
working lives, and thus on their lives in general. Having
employees who are well-informed on these topics will
also benefit the companies themselves.
� Make it easier for employees to vote
Companies could ensure that all employees are able
to vote easily in countries where the vote starts on a
working day.
Government Growth � Explain how the EU influences the economy and
citizens’ lives
The EU and its institutions can seem distant to citizens,
many of whom do not really understand the impact on
their lives. If this were explained, it might increase public
interest in European elections.
� Bridge the gap between statement and action
Europeans are apparently convinced that voting in the
European elections is the best way to ensure that their
voice is heard by EU decision-makers. Governments
and EU institutions need to transform these statements
about voting into real actions.
� Share best practice
In the last EU elections, the turn-out differed widely
between countries. Countries where few people showed
up at the polling station should draw on the experience
of those countries where participation was above the
European average, replicating some of the actions
undertaken.
� Tell voters they are giving the EU a face
Making citizens participate – directly or indirectly – in the
election of the President of the European Commission
is definitely a good idea. It will help to reduce the
perceived gap between the EU and its citizens, and show
that voting makes a difference. While claiming that
voting has an impact can sometimes sound like wishful
thinking, electing the President of the Commission, the
person who will embody the European Union, does give
tangible meaning to citizens’ votes. Governments and
EU institutions must publicise the fact that this change
will be introduced in 2014. And candidates should be
presented now, well in advance.
� Consider e-voting
To fight abstention, all means should be considered. One
possibility is the introduction of e-voting. This would
refresh the image of the European elections, especially
among young people; it would also probably stimulate
intense discussion that would raise the profile of these
elections.
About TNS TNS advises clients on specific growth strategies around new market entry, innovation, brand switching and stakeholder management, based on long-established expertise and market-leading solutions. With a presence in over 80 countries, TNS has more conversations with the world’s consumers than anyone else and understands individual human behaviours and attitudes across every cultural, economic and political region of the world.
TNS is part of Kantar, one of the world’s largest insight, information and consultancy groups.