This is according to a study published on Thursday by the Bertelsmann Foundation across the EU. The Germans are therefore more reluctant than the EU average to accept higher costs for energy independence.
For the survey, eupinions, the foundation’s European opinion research tool, surveyed more than 13,000 EU citizens in March, June and September. The survey is therefore representative for the EU, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain.
In Germany, only 48 percent supported arms supplies to Ukraine in September – in March the figure was 57 percent. Approval also fell slightly to 50 percent across the EU. As direct Ukrainian neighbours, the Poles expressed the most support for arms deliveries at 76 percent, while approval in Italy was the lowest at 36 percent.
While in March 72 percent of Germans still agreed that the EU should become more energy independent despite rising prices, in September only 62 percent agreed. Across the EU, the average fell from 74 to 67 percent.
“This development was to be expected given the continued very high inflation and the start of the heating period. She needs to be monitored. Because it harbors the potential for political conflict,” says Isabell Hoffmann, the foundation’s Europe expert.
According to the survey, nearly three-quarters of Germans still want Ukrainian refugees to be hosted — but that was down from 86 percent in March. In addition, the agreement in Germany and in the EU to admit Ukraine to the EU has declined in the coming years. In March, 69 (EU) and 61 (Germany) percent said yes, in September 63 and 55 percent respectively.
(SDA)