Poll: Voter interest in EU elections remains low[fr][de] 

The Eurobarometer poll, commissioned at the behest of the European Parliament, surveyed some 27,000 people across the EU 27 in October and November 2008. 

The Parliament, as shown by previous Eurobarometers, remains the most trusted EU institution, with 51% of citizens saying they "tend to trust it", compared with 47% for the Commission and 42% for the Council. 

However, only 34% of respondents have a "positive image" of the EU assembly, down 5% since 2007. 

Knowledge of the European elections remains alarmingly low. Only 26% of respondents were aware that European elections would be held in 2009, with a whopping 67% choosing not to answer the question. 

The results are likely to disappoint the Parliament, which has gone further than ever before to increase its own profile and awareness of the elections in recent months, notably with the launch of EuroparlTV (the Parliament's own online TV channel; EurActiv 18/09/08) and the appearance this week of a special website  dedicated to the elections.

The Eurobarometer publication adds the following nota bene (N.B.) to its findings: "The analysis of the results must take into account the fact that the survey was conducted in the middle of the economic and financial crisis" (October and November 2008). 

Experts told EurActiv that the results appeared to suggest that the findings should be understood in the context of EU citizens having bigger worries than elections that are several months away. But this claim stands in stark contrast to that of leading European politicians, a number of whom told EurActiv that they believe the EU's response to the financial crisis will increase citizens' interest in the EU and motivate them to come to the polls in June. 

In fact, interest in the elections decreased further, dropping by two points to 44% compared to April 2008. 

Unsurprisingly, the poll showed that voters want economic growth, unemployment and inflation to be the dominant themes of the 2009 campaign.