Price increases and the cost of living (42%) and the economic situation (41%) were the main factors for the decisions of European citizens in the European elections of June this year. The percentages are noticeably higher for Cyprus (47% and 56%, respectively). One-third of voters across Europe (34%) stated that the international situation was an issue that prompted them to vote, while a similar percentage cited the defense of democracy and the rule of law (32%) as their motivation. In Cyprus, migration and asylum ranked third among the issues that encouraged citizens to vote (45%), while 26% of respondents mentioned education.

Among those who did not vote, respondents said that the cost of living (46%) and the economic situation (36%) could serve as incentives to participate in elections. The corresponding percentages in Cyprus are 53% and 42% (with migration issues ranking second at 45%).

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, commented on the survey results: “Last June, citizens across Europe made sure their voices were heard, as we saw the highest voter turnout for the European Parliament in the last 30 years. They have given us a mandate to act, provide answers and solutions, and make a difference in their daily lives. We will do just that. In the coming weeks, the European Parliament will thoroughly examine the composition of the new European Commission to ensure it addresses the issues that are a priority for citizens: the cost of living, the state of our economy, democracy, the rule of law, migration, and security. The European Parliament will continue to work to ensure the citizens' voices are heard in the EU.”

Support for the EU remains high, despite economic difficulties. The survey results show that citizens are optimistic about the future of the EU (65%) and continue to have a positive impression of it: 48% gave positive responses, while only 16% said they have a negative view. EU membership is also viewed favorably, as seven out of ten Europeans believe that their country has benefited from being a member of the EU, a percentage that has remained stable in recent years. In Cyprus, the percentage is also high (68%).

Across the EU, there are four main reasons why citizens consider their country's participation in the EU beneficial: increased cooperation between member states (36%), protection of peace and strengthening security (32%), contribution to economic growth (28%), and the creation of new job opportunities (24%). In Cyprus, the protection of peace and the strengthening of security ranks first (43%), followed by the strengthening of the voice of the Cypriot people (29%), the contribution to economic growth (28%), and the improvement of cooperation between Cyprus and other EU countries (24%).

Trust in European parliamentary democracy is particularly high at the start of the 10th parliamentary term of the EP: 42% of citizens have a positive image of the European Parliament, the highest ever recorded for this indicator. The corresponding percentage in Cyprus is 38%.

European citizens confirmed their support for EU democracy in last June’s European elections. Voter turnout was 50.74%, the highest in the last 30 years and similar to that of 2019. More voters participated in 16 of the 27 countries compared to the 2019 elections. The fact that voting matters is also confirmed by 56% of survey participants, who agree that their voice counts in the EU, marking an 8 percentage point increase compared to the February/March 2024 survey (48%). However, in Cyprus, only 33% of citizens agree that their voice counts in the EU.

From the analysis of this post-election survey, it further emerges that participation in European elections is becoming a habit for many citizens. When asked why they voted, 46% of voters said they always do, while 42% said it is their duty as citizens, and 20% said they wanted to support the political party they feel closest to. In Cyprus, 59% of respondents said they always vote, 55% said it is their duty as citizens, while 19% voted to support the political party they feel represents them.

At the European level, citizens’ decision on who to vote for in the 2024 European elections was mainly based on how close the proposals of each party were to their ideas and values: the proposals of a specific party on European issues were the most frequent reason for voters to choose it, with 47% (+4 percentage points from 2019). However, in Cyprus, this answer was given by a noticeably lower percentage (35%), with 55% of respondents stating they voted for the party they usually vote for.

The full results of the survey can be found by clicking here.

The European Parliament’s Eurobarometer post-election survey was conducted by the research company Verian (formerly Kantar Public) between June 13 and July 8, 2024, across all 27 EU member states. The survey was conducted face-to-face, with additional video interviews (CAVI) used in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, and Malta. A total of 26,349 interviews were conducted, 506 of which in Cyprus. The EU-wide results were weighted according to the size of the population in each country. In addition to demographic-based weighting (e.g., weighting based on gender, age, region, and urban or rural residence), all questions related to the European elections in this post-election survey were weighted according to actual voter turnout at the national level.