The French public lacks crucial information about the upcoming European elections and the role of the European Parliament while holding broadly pessimistic attitudes about the European Union, according to an exclusive survey carried out by French pollster Viavoice for French media including FRANCE 24's parent group France Médias Monde, France Télévisions and Radio France.
Just under 50 percent of French people are interested in the European parliamentary elections, with 48 percent declaring no interest in the June vote, according to a Viavoice survey published Monday.
Moreover, a large proportion of respondents still fundamentally misunderstand the aims of the upcoming vote – and the nature of the European Parliament itself.
Nearly half (46 percent) of French people surveyed think that the upcoming elections allow voters to elect the members of the European Commission – which is not the case – and just 40 percent correctly responded “false” to a question asking if the voting will take place over two rounds.
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The results inspire even less confidence when it comes to what the European Parliament actually does all day. Almost eight out of 10 French respondents (79 percent) described themselves as not at all or barely informed about the parliamentary body’s work. Just 21 percent said that they would be able to name at least one key measure passed in Strasbourg during the last legislative period of 2019-2024. This is despite the fact that the European Parliament has voted through a number of major measures these past five years, including the 750-billion-euro COVID-19 recovery plan and the European Green Deal, which notably banned the sale of new combustion engine-powered cars from 2035.
More than four out of five French people unable to name a French MEP
The French people’s lack of information is also rather stark when it comes to the candidates themselves. Just 39 percent were able to confidently name the top candidate of the far-right National Rally party (Jordan Bardella). That number fell to 22 percent for the centre-right Renaissance party’s top candidate (Valérie Hayer), 21 percent for the top candidate of the social democratic Socialist Party (Raphaël Glucksmann) and far-right Reconquest (Marion Maréchal).
The top candidate of the left-wing French Unbowed party (Manon Aubry) could be named by 19 percent of respondents, with another 18 percent being able to confidently name the top candidate of the right-wing Republicans (François-Xavier Bellamy), 14 percent for the Green Party’s top candidate (Marie Toussaint) and just ten percent for the top candidate of the Communist Party (Léon Deffontaines).
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What’s more, 82 percent of respondents were incapable of naming at least one French member of the European Parliament. And of the 18 percent who said they could, 10 percent named Marine Le Pen and six percent simply responded “Le Pen” without giving further details. Neither National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, his daughter Marine Le Pen nor his niece Marion Maréchal are currently seated in the European Parliament.
The leading figures in Europe’s lofty institutions didn't fare much better. Just 45 percent of French people said they were very well or fairly well acquainted with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, a figure that dropped to eight percent when it came to European Parliament president Roberta Metsola.
French people divided on the Ukraine war
The Viavoice survey also revealed fiercely competing opinions on France’s role in the war in Ukraine. The results show a nation divided, with 29 percent saying that France is giving Ukraine too much military support, 40 percent responding that France is supporting Ukraine the right amount and just 16 percent saying that France is not supporting Ukraine enough.
Similarly, 39 percent of French people think that EU member countries are united in their support for Ukraine against Russia, compared with 40 percent who think the opposite. In contrast, 63 percent said that the EU had an important role to play in bringing the war to an end.
The French are equally divided when it comes to Ukraine’s potential EU membership: 42 percent of respondents describe themselves as against Ukraine joining the EU, compared with 41 percent saying they are in favour of it.
Euro-pessimism about the economy
Finally, the survey showed that the French are pretty pessimistic about the future, with 64 percent of respondents predicting that the European economy is going to get worse in the coming months, including 35 percent who think it will worsen significantly. In addition, 55 percent of those asked think that the EU’s place on the international stage will deteriorate in the coming months – a figure that has risen by 11 points compared with June 2022.
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And while the French see the European Union as more of a strength than a weakness when it comes to scientific and technological innovation (62 percent against 22 percent) or peace in Europe and across the world (54 percent against 31 percent), they’re more sceptical about its role in the face of economic challenges (37 percent against 42 percent). Nor do they seem hopeful about its role in the fight against discrimination (36 percent against 42 percent), or against social issues (30 percent against 51 percent).
This article has been adapted from the original in French.
