BRUSSELS — A 2026 Pew Research Center survey found that favorable views of the European Union rose to a median of 62% across eight European countries, up from 49% in 2016.

In 2016, favorable attitudes toward the EU ranged from 27% in Greece to 58% in Italy among seven EU member states and the United Kingdom. By 2017, the median had climbed to 60%, with gains of 18 percentage points in both France and Germany and an increase from 45% to 54% in the U.K. Favorable views approached or reached record highs in many countries by 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The 2026 survey, conducted between February 9 and April 23 among 13,575 respondents across 11 countries, showed that favorable views in every surveyed country were either similar to or higher than those recorded in 2017. Majorities in eight of ten European countries surveyed held a favorable opinion of the EU in 2026. Sweden recorded the highest level of support at 79%, followed by the U.K. at 67%.

Improvements in EU favorability occurred across the ideological spectrum in most countries. In Sweden, favorable views rose from 45% to 81% among adults on the left and from 61% to 76% among those on the right between 2016 and 2026. Similar gains occurred in France, the Netherlands, and Spain among left-leaning populations. Ideological divides persisted in some countries. In Poland, 86% of adults on the left viewed the EU favorably compared to 42% on the right. In the U.K., 78% on the left held a favorable view compared to 55% on the right.

Party affiliation correlated with EU attitudes. In Hungary, 31% of Fidesz supporters viewed the EU favorably, compared with 82% of non-supporters. In the U.K., 49% of Reform UK supporters held a favorable view, compared with 76% of others. In France, Greece, Italy, and Spain, supporters of left-wing populist parties were more likely to view the EU positively. In Italy, 80% of adults under 35 rated the EU favorably in 2026, compared with 56% of those over 50.