More generally, citizens in these southern European Member States, many of whom had been among the most vocal EU supporters, are expressing anxiety or disappointment in those countries where the unfavourable drop in public opinion on the EU has been the greatest since the onset of the crisis. In autumn 2012, the number of those pessimistic about the EU’s future outnumbered those who are optimistic (in Spain, the latter are nearly outnumbered) – a trait they now share with traditionally eurosceptic Britons and other euro reluctant countries (Hungary, Czech Republic). French public opinion is, for the majority, also pessimistic in this regard.

Several findings in this study would appear to confirm concerns that division lines are deepening between EU countries, a risk addressed a few months ago in the report “Do the Europeans still believe in the EU?”.