Residents across Europe are increasingly voicing dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs—both with domestic conditions in their own countries and with the course pursued by national governments, including their response to challenges posed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Politico reports this, citing a survey by the consultancy FGS Global conducted in November among more than 11,000 respondents in 23 European Union countries. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed believe that Europe’s “best years” are already behind it and that the next generation will face more difficult living conditions. These findings offer a snapshot of the public mood shaping Europe today.
What worries Europeans most?
The FGS Global survey shows that people across Europe are troubled by the state of democracy and by governments’ ability to cope with key challenges—including Russia’s war against Ukraine and rising tensions in relations with Washington.
According to the results, 76% of Europeans believe that democracy in their country is in decline. As Politico notes, these sentiments are particularly pronounced in Western and Central Europe.
In every country covered by the survey, more than 70% of respondents said they “have the right to expect more” from their governments. At least half of participants stated that the political system in their country is “failing the people and requires fundamental reform.” This response was most common in Romania—91%, Greece—88%, and Bulgaria—86%. Residents of the Nordic countries, Politico reports, display a more restrained level of pessimism.
In almost all countries, a majority of respondents—more than 50%—say their country is moving in the wrong direction. This view is least common in Lithuania—38%, Poland—46%, and Denmark—48%. Politico notes that Lithuania and Poland border Russia, which is waging war against Ukraine, while Denmark is facing pressure from the United States over the status of Greenland.
About 63% of respondents said that their countries’ “best years” are already behind them. At the same time, 77% of those surveyed are convinced that the next generation will have to live in more difficult conditions.
These figures, Politico stresses, send a bleak signal for most European governments, as they point to low levels of public trust in political systems and doubts about their ability to function effectively.
And what would Europeans like to do about it?
People across Europe expect more forceful and decisive action from their leaders, including an expansion of military capabilities, Politico reports.
Asked whether their countries should “assert their own national interests more firmly, even if this leads to friction with other states,” 71% of respondents answered in the affirmative.
The idea of increasing investment in Europe’s security also won support. Some 57% of respondents favored higher defense spending. In Poland, that view is shared by 82% of those surveyed.
And how do Europeans view Trump?
The survey was conducted in November 2025—before a new escalation in tensions between Europe and the United States over the status of Greenland. Even at that point, however, most Europeans already held a negative view of Donald Trump. Around two-thirds of respondents said they had pessimistic expectations about the impact Trump would have on the global economy in 2026—69% gave that answer. Another 64% fear the consequences for peace and security, and the same share—for conditions in their own countries.
Other surveys show that Trump remains unpopular in Europe even among supporters of right-wing populist parties whom he himself describes as allies. Asked whether he deserves a Nobel Prize, 77% of respondents answered in the negative.