Directorate-General for Communication PUBLIC OPINION MONITORING UNIT Brussels, 24 February 2014 European Parliament Eurobarometer (EB79.5) WOMEN S PERCEPTION OF THE EU AND OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Coverage: EU-28 (27 624 EU citizens) Target group: Europeans aged 15 and over Methodology: Face-to-face (CAPI) Fieldwork: 7-23 June 2013, TNS Opinion INTRODUCTION... 2 A. INTEREST IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS TODAY AND TOMORROW... 4 B. EU MEMBERSHIP... 10 C. EUROPEANS IDENTITY... 16 D. THE WAY DEMOCRACY WORKS... 19 E. MY VOICE COUNTS... 25 F. IMAGE OF THE EU... 28 G. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT... 31 H. PRIORITY POLICIES AND VALUES... 34 1
INTRODUCTION With less than three months to go to the May 2014 European elections and on the occasion of International Women s Day on 8 March, the Public Opinion Monitoring Unit of the European Parliament s Directorate-General for Communication has carried out a detailed analysis of women s opinions based on the questions asked in the European Parliament Eurobarometer 79.5 survey entitled One year to go to the 2014 European elections. This survey sought to assess public perceptions of the European Union, the European Parliament, the economic and social situation and the prospects offered by the European elections of 22-25 May 2014. It was conducted in the form of face-to-face interviews by TNS opinion, with 27 624 individuals from the 28 EU Member States between 7 and 23 July 2013. Perception of the European Union On issues related to the European Union, the gender differences are similar to the ones highlighted in previous surveys. Regarding European identity, attachment to the European Union and membership, support is lower among women than among men (the difference being 5 to 6 percentage points in the EU). In addition, women are significantly less interested in European policy issues than men and are slightly less satisfied with the way democracy works in the EU (a difference between 1 and 9 percentage points). A minority of both women and men agree that my voice counts in the EU with practically no difference between the respective percentages. Perception of the European Parliament Regarding perception of the European Parliament, its image and role among Europeans, there are few differences between women and men. While the majority of both men and women are neutral towards the European Parliament, women have a slightly more negative view of the EU as an institution (2 percentage points difference). Both women and men want the European Parliament to play a greater role than it does at present. This opinion is less pronounced among women (7 percentage points difference). 2
Priorities As with previous surveys, both women and men consider measures to tackle poverty and social exclusion to be a priority. More specifically, in view of the crisis, it is clearly felt that employment and measures to combat unemployment must be the top priority for the EU. There is little difference between men and women on this. Women are generally more receptive to social and societal issues (such as consumer protection), while men attach greater importance to economic issues (such as the coordination of economic budgetary and fiscal policies). Values Both women and men take the view that the EP should give priority to the protection of human rights. Among women, the priority most frequently mentioned in second place is gender equality. On this there is a difference of 9 percentage points between women and men, whose second priority is solidarity between the EU Member States (4 percentage points difference). Public Opinion Monitoring Unit Jacques Nancy +32 2 284 24 85 EPEurobarometer@europarl.europa.eu 3
A. INTEREST IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS TODAY AND TOMORROW a) Decreasing level of interest in European affairs 4
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender Interest in European affairs today and tomorrow Q10 Would you say that you are very interested, fairly interested, not very interested or not at all interested in European affairs? EB79.5 June 2013 5
Interest in European affairs today and tomorrow Gender EB79.5 June 2013 6
b. Europeans more involved in 2025 EB79.5 June 2013 7
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender Interest in European affairs today and tomorrow Q26 Imagine how the EU will be in a ten years time. Compared with today, do you think that in 2025 European citizens will be? EB79.5 June 2013 8
EB79.5 June 2013 Interest in European affairs today and tomorrow Gender 9
B. EU MEMBERSHIP a) EU membership, a good or a bad thing? 10
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender EU attachment and membership Q22 Generally speaking, do you think that (OUR COUNTRY)'s membership of the EU is...? EB79.5 June 2013 11
1. EB79.5 June 2013 EU attachment and membership Gender 12
b) Benefited or not from being member of the EU 13
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender EU attachment and membership Q23 Taking everything into account, would you say that (OUR COUNTRY) has on balance benefited or not from being a member of the EU? EB79.5 June 2013 14
1. EB79.5 June 2013 EU attachment and membership Gender 15
C. EUROPEANS IDENTITY This question was taken from the Standard EB79, conducted in May 2013 16
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender Europeans identity QD4 In the near future, do you see yourself as...? This question was taken from the Standard EB79, conducted in May 2013 17
1. This question was taken from the Standard EB79, conducted in May 2013 Europeans identity Gender 18
D. THE WAY DEMOCRACY WORKS a) The way democracy works in the Member States 19
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender The way democracy works Q30a On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the way democracy works in (OUR COUNTRY)? EB79.5 June 2013 20
1. EB79.5 June 2013 The way democracy works Gender 21
b) The way democracy works in the EU 22
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender The way democracy works Q30b And how about the way democracy works in the EU? EB79.5 June 2013 23
1. EB79.5 June 2013 The way democracy works Gender 24
E. MY VOICE COUNTS 25
FOCUS ON GENDER Gender My voice counts Q24.1 Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. My voice counts in the EU EB79.5 June 2013 26
1. EB79.5 June 2013 My voice counts Gender 27
F. IMAGE OF THE EU 1. Global image of the European Parliament 28
Gender INFORMATION ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FOCUS ON GENDER Q2 In general, does the European Parliament conjure up for you a very positive, fairly positive, neutral, fairly negative or very negative image? 29
30 INFORMATION ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Gender
G. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 31
Gender ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FOCUS ON GENDER Q14 Would you personally like to see the European Parliament play a more important or less important role than it currently does? 32
33 ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Gender
H. PRIORITY POLICIES AND VALUES a) Priority policies 34
Gender VALUES AND POLICIES FOCUS ON GENDER Q15T The European Parliament promotes the development of certain policies at EU level. In your opinion which of the following policies should be given priority? Firstly? And then? (MAX. 3 ANSWERS) 35
36 VALUES AND POLICIES Gender
b) Priority policies during the crisis Question already published in part II - economic and social 37
Gender VALUES AND POLICIES FOCUS ON GENDER Q16T And more specifically, which area do you think should be given priority in view of the crisis? Firstly? And then? (MAX. 2 ANSWERS) 38
39 VALUES AND POLICIES Gender
c) Values to defend 40
Gender VALUES AND POLICIES FOCUS ON GENDER Q18 In your opinion, which of the following values should the European Parliament defend as a matter of priority? (MAX. 3 ANSWERS) 41
42 VALUES AND POLICIES Gender