‘think’encourage people to vote must stress this aspect: ‘feel your voice is not heard in the...

‘Think...’ – May/June 2013 © TNS 2013 1TNS Europe

In a year’s time, the eighth Europe-wide elections will

be held in the EU. Between 22 and 25 May 2014, the

citizens of 28 Member States (Croatia will join the EU in

July 2013) will vote to elect representatives to sit in the

European Parliament. It’s difficult to be optimistic about

these elections. Indeed, the current 5-year-old financial

crisis is on everyone’s mind, eclipsing all other topics. When

Europeans are asked which EU-related topics they would like

to have more information about, the most-mentioned items

all concern the economy: EU solutions to tackle the crisis

(34%), and a European investment plan to create new jobs

including jobs for young people (33%). A fifth or more of

Europeans would also like to know more about their rights

as EU citizens (28%) or consumer protection (20%). All

other factors are cited much less often. At the very bottom

of this list of 14 items, European elections are mentioned by

just 7% of Europeans.

A national analysis reveals that European elections are the

least-mentioned topic about which Europeans would like

more information in 24 of the 27 Member States. Ireland,

Italy and Portugal are the only exceptions – but, even in

these countries, less than 12% of citizens would like to

be more informed about European elections. It is quite

clear that this subject struggles to make an impression

when compared with economic, social or societal topics –

despite the fact that European elections will have a strong

influence on all these themes. However, this also presents

an opportunity. The EU challenge is about making citizens

understand that their vote will have a strong influence on

the economy, monetary policy, the importance given to

environmental protection, etc. Success in this area might

put an end to the continuous decline in voting in European

elections since 1979.

An analysis of the results by socio-demographic categories

gives no cause for greater optimism. Those who see their

glass as half full might point out that younger Europeans

are more likely to mention European elections: 9% of 15-24

year olds and 11% of students cited this item, compared

with 7% overall. But it is more realistic to see this glass as

half empty: even in these categories, European elections are

among the least mentioned topics!

‘Think...’May 2014 will see the eighth Europe-wide elections to the European Parliament. Since the first elections in 1979, the turn-out has decreased continuously – from 62% in 1979 to 43% in 2009. A year ahead of the next elections, at a time when public attitudes towards the European Union are generally negative, there are reasons for concern about how much interest and participation the vote will attract. How do citizens see these elections? How can European institutions increase the turn-out? What would raise public interest?

Growth Insight

Precise insights for European growth

European attitudes at the next Euro elections

continued on next page


On which topics related to the EU would you like to have more information?

Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB), The Parlemeter for the European Parliament, EB78.2, December 2012, conducted by TNS

‘Think ...’ lessons for business:

Are European businesses interested in EU politics? Most

definitely. It is very clear that companies have been, and

still are impacted by the EU: the euro, the internal market,

European laws, subsidies, all these issues are part of business

life nowadays…Without being politically-oriented, managers

need to be aware that their activities are directly influenced

by European policies, and therefore by the results of the

European elections. People sometimes feel that they are not

affected by European policies. Realising that they have an

impact on their working lives – and how – might help them

to understand the importance of these elections.

Training employees in the European rules that impact

working life would benefit businesses. Trained employees

would have a better grasp of the different European laws

and directives their company needs to respect (including

European labels, etc.).

Citizens are mainly interested in topics related to the

financial crisis and the economy. For governments and

European institutions, the challenge is to demonstrate how

these aspects are directly affected by European policies, and

therefore by the European elections; and to remind citizens

how the EU influences the economy in their country. An

effective communication strategy, with a focus on education,

might increase public interest in these next elections. And,

for once, the results of these actions will be immediately

visible: by the evening of 25 May 2014, the world will know

whether governments and institutions have succeeded in

raising people’s interest. Or not.

Growth Insight continued


Only a small proportion of Europeans want to know more about European elections, but a large majority say that voting in these elections is by far the best way to ensure their voice is heard by EU decision-makers. A paradox?

Feeling that your voice is heard by the European Union is

key when it comes to general attitudes towards the EU.

Eurobarometer results (probably the biggest Europe-wide

public opinion survey) demonstrate that a belief that ‘my

voice counts’ is a powerful factor in indicating support for

the EU (image, trust, etc.). Citizens who say that their voice

is not taken into account by the EU tend to have negative

attitudes, whereas the more they think they are heard by the

EU, the more they trust European institutions. It is therefore

important to ask citizens how best to ensure that their

voice is heard by decision-makers in the EU. From a list of

eight options, voting in the European elections is by far the

most mentioned item, cited by more than half of Europeans

(57%). The item in second position is mentioned by only

around half as many (using the European Citizens’ Initiative,

29%).

In some EU Member States, the results are even more

striking: seven in ten respondents or more mention voting in

European elections in Sweden (82%), Denmark (80%), the

Netherlands (75%), France (74%) and Germany (71%). At

the other end of the scale, the fewest respondents to cite

this item are found in the Czech Republic (34%), Lithuania

(34%), and Poland (39%). However, despite these wide

differences, voting in European elections comes first in every

EU Member State (equally with using the European Citizens’

Initiative in Cyprus). There is a similar consensus across

the different socio-demographic categories: voting in the

European elections is the first item mentioned by the young

and by older people, managers and manual workers, the

most and the least educated.

There is a paradox in public attitudes to voting. Only a few

Europeans would like to receive more information about the

European elections – but, at the same time, they recognise

that it is the best way to have their voice heard by decision-

makers in the EU. While this discrepancy can be seen as

disappointing and discouraging, it can also be perceived

as an opportunity: there is real scope for improvement. If

Europeans were unable to attach any positive ideas to the

European elections, it would be quite a challenge to raise

their interest, and, ultimately, to persuade them to turn

out. As this is not the case, it offers an important lever for

changing the situation for the better.

Growth Insight




These results indicate that just 12% of Europeans consider

that joining a trade union is a good way of ensuring that

their voice is heard by decision-makers in the EU. In some

countries, this proportion is higher: 24% in Belgium, 22%

in Ireland, and 21% in Austria gave this answer. European

businesses can play a role here: they could help trade unions

to regain some vigour, especially in countries where they

are weak. The German example shows that powerful trade

unions facilitate social dialogue within a company, which

ultimately benefits the business. This also improves the

image of a company, as social dialogue is generally seen in a

positive light.

For their part, European governments and institutions need

to try closing the gap between what people say (voting is the

best way to be heard), and what people really do (not voting

to the European elections). Communication campaigns to

encourage people to vote must stress this aspect: ‘Feel your

voice is not heard in the EU? You can change things. Vote!’

In some countries, we could envisage a campaign drawing

on the survey results: ‘53% of Romanians think that voting

in European elections is the best way of being heard by

European decision makers. Yet just 28% voted in the last

elections. What’s the matter with you??!! Vote!’ Of course,

this would work better in countries that are used to assertive

communication campaigns.


Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB), Europeans two years from the next European elections for the European Parliament,

EB77.4, June 2012, conducted by TNS

The election of a European President...

Which of the following are the best ways of ensuring that your voice is heard by decison-makers in the EU?


A year ahead of the next European elections, the results are impossible to predict. When Member States continue to struggle with the effects of the crisis, and public attitudes towards the EU are so negative, optimism is low. How can European institutions act to change things for the better?

At a time when most Europeans’ attitudes towards the EU

are generally negative, there are major concerns about the

next European elections: first, in terms of the results, as

the composition of the next European parliament will give

a good indication of the path that will be followed by the

European Union over the next five years. And the general

public attitude towards the EU does not really encourage

optimism, with the rise of extremists, nationalists and

Europhobic parties in several EU Member States. Second,

the turn-out in these next elections is also a worry. Indeed,

a new rise in abstention would send a particular political

signal about the future of the EU. The European Parliament

is the most trusted European institution, especially since it’s

the only one elected by citizens. The more abstention rises,

the less the EP will be seen to represent European citizens.

Therefore, encouraging the public to vote is an important

challenge for the EU and its institutions.

How can the EU increase public interest in the next

European elections? Electing the President of the European

Commission during these elections seems to be one

effective way of encouraging citizens to vote. After all, an

outright majority of Europeans say that if their vote were to

contribute, even indirectly, to the election of the President

of the Commission, it would make them more likely than

at present to vote (54%). Respondents in Cyprus (61%),

Germany (61%) and, most strikingly, in Greece (67%) are

the most likely to say that taking part in the election of the

head of the Commission would encourage them to vote.

Interestingly, this opinion is most widespread in countries

where trust in the EU is below the European average (31%

in Cyprus, 30% in Germany, and 18% in Greece compared

with 33% in the EU as a whole in the most recent Standard

Eurobarometer). Even in Member States where this opinion

is the least widespread, more than four in ten respondents

say that they would be more tempted to vote if their ballot

involved the election of the President of the Commission:

41% in Estonia, 44% in Slovenia, 45% in Lithuania and

45% in Denmark.

Even more striking, a majority – albeit thin – of the

respondents who didn’t vote in the 2009 European elections

say that participating indirectly in the election of the

President of the European Commission would make them

more likely to vote in the future (45% vs. 44% who say that

this not the case).

Europeans seem to think that the EU lacks a face. And, if

that’s going to change, they would like to be part of the

process.

Growth Insight




The next European elections will be held from Thursday

22 May to Sunday 25 May 2014. In other words, some

countries will vote on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. As

elections during the working week might have a negative

impact on turn-out, European businesses could take steps

to simplify the lives of those employees who would like to

participate in these elections.

Analysis of turn-out in the last European elections (2009)

reveals wide variations between countries. While more

than nine in ten citizens voted in Luxembourg and Belgium

(where voting is compulsory), less than a fifth did so in

Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia. Besides Luxembourg and

Belgium, high turn-outs were seen in some Member States

where voting is not compulsory: Malta (78.8%), Italy (65%)

and Denmark (59.5%), to name just a few. Governments

and European institutions need to look at the measures

taken in European countries where participation was high.

Although cultural and historical reasons play an important

role in explaining these differences, it might provide ideas

about how to boost public interest in countries where few

people show up at the polling stations.

It takes time to publicise political change. If the President of

the European Commission is elected – directly or indirectly

– through the votes of European citizens, then European

institutions should make sure that people know about it

well beforehand! Putting emphasis on the fact that this

represents an important change.

It’s important to choose candidates early, not just a few

months before the elections. Otherwise, there is a real risk

that citizens will not have enough time to take it all in and

weigh up their options.


Source: Special Eurobarometer (EB) Employment and social

policy for the European Commission, FL363, September-

October 2011, conducted by TNS

Imagine that, at the next European elections, the

major European political alliances present a candidate

for the post of President of the European Commission,

based on a joint programme. The citizens of every

Member State would therefore indirectly participate

in the election of the President of the European

Commission if his\her political alliances won the

European elections.

Would this encourage you more than at present to

vote?


TNS Web: www.tnsglobal.comEmail: [email protected] Twitter: @TNS_Global

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Precise plans for GrowthBusiness Growth

� Train employees about EU laws and directives

To help citizens understand the importance of European

elections, companies need to provide staff training

about EU laws and directives that impact their business

lives. Election results will have an influence on their

working lives, and thus on their lives in general. Having

employees who are well-informed on these topics will

also benefit the companies themselves.

� Make it easier for employees to vote

Companies could ensure that all employees are able

to vote easily in countries where the vote starts on a

working day.

Government Growth � Explain how the EU influences the economy and

citizens’ lives

The EU and its institutions can seem distant to citizens,

many of whom do not really understand the impact on

their lives. If this were explained, it might increase public

interest in European elections.

� Bridge the gap between statement and action

Europeans are apparently convinced that voting in the

European elections is the best way to ensure that their

voice is heard by EU decision-makers. Governments

and EU institutions need to transform these statements

about voting into real actions.

� Share best practice

In the last EU elections, the turn-out differed widely

between countries. Countries where few people showed

up at the polling station should draw on the experience

of those countries where participation was above the

European average, replicating some of the actions

undertaken.

� Tell voters they are giving the EU a face

Making citizens participate – directly or indirectly – in the

election of the President of the European Commission

is definitely a good idea. It will help to reduce the

perceived gap between the EU and its citizens, and show

that voting makes a difference. While claiming that

voting has an impact can sometimes sound like wishful

thinking, electing the President of the Commission, the

person who will embody the European Union, does give

tangible meaning to citizens’ votes. Governments and

EU institutions must publicise the fact that this change

will be introduced in 2014. And candidates should be

presented now, well in advance.

� Consider e-voting

To fight abstention, all means should be considered. One

possibility is the introduction of e-voting. This would

refresh the image of the European elections, especially

among young people; it would also probably stimulate

intense discussion that would raise the profile of these

elections.

About TNS TNS advises clients on specific growth strategies around new market entry, innovation, brand switching and stakeholder management, based on long-established expertise and market-leading solutions. With a presence in over 80 countries, TNS has more conversations with the world’s consumers than anyone else and understands individual human behaviours and attitudes across every cultural, economic and political region of the world.

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