Elections to the European Parliament take place separately between 6 and 9 June in all 27 Member States, with national parties competing against each other. The research team that developed a voting advice application, EU&I, at the Robert Schuman Center, he analyzed the most consensual and divisive issues between EU parties and the trends resulting from the responses of the application’s users.
On abortion, defense and security, the rule of law and the cost of living
Contrary to the polarized landscape often portrayed in the media, the study reveals significant agreement on several key issues. In relation to the right to abortion, 74% of European Union parties are against restrictions, an opinion echoed by more than 80% of EU&I users. This shows a clear divergence from the controversial debates we see in other parts of the world, such as the United States.
It is also possible to see a widespread consensus on defense and security issues: more than 70% of parties agree that the EU must strengthen its security and defense policy and support increased military spending. This position is mirrored by almost 80% of users who support strengthening the European Union’s defense policy and 72% who support military aid to Ukraine. Strong support for Ukraine’s EU membership underlines the collective response to external threats.
The principle of democratic governance also demonstrates a high level of consensus, with 85% of users and 68% of parties, with an opinion on this issue, supporting sanctions against Member States that undermine the rule of law. This reflects a shared commitment to defending democratic values within the EU.
The parties also converge on two economic issues that have been highly relevant in recent years: the problems experienced by European farmers and the cost of living crisis, with 71% of parties in favor of protecting farmers against external competition, as well as 70% approving State intervention to control the increase in the costs of basic products. Although support from application users is slightly lower, around 60%, these problems remain quite consensual.
About the power of veto, the environment, soft drugs and immigration
However, several issues strongly divide European Union parties and voters. The most polarized issue is the veto power of each member state: 48% of parties that have an opinion on this issue are in favor of member states having less veto power, 50% are the against. Although many European leaders have expressed their dismay in cases where a country blocks some crucial decisions in the EU, there is still great disagreement regarding the reduction of this power. The application’s users are equally divided, with most responding “no opinion”, as many are reluctant to take a stance on this issue.
Regarding environmental policy, there is a slight majority of parties and users on the “green side†on issues such as the promotion of public transport through so-called green taxes and support for renewable energies, but a more specific policy, such as the proposal to ban the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035, reveals sharp divisions, showing that the discourse on climate action versus the impact economic situation is highly polarized.
The legalization of personal use of soft drugs has an almost even split, with 48% of parties in favor and 44% against. Users are slightly more in favor, 53%, which shows a contentious debate between personal freedoms and regulatory control.
As expected, immigration policy continues to be a focus of polarization, with 50% of parties and 44% of users supporting stricter immigration controls, and 43% of parties and almost 40% of users opposing these measures. The mandatory refugee relocation system also divides opinions, although support from application users is slightly higher.
This analysis covers 274 political parties and 6 independent (Irish) candidates in the 27 countries of the European Union. A EU&I was designed to help citizens find the political party that best suits their preferences in the 2024 European Parliament elections. This tool was developed by a group of more than 150 European researchers and is led by Lorenzo Cicchi and Andres Reiljan.
Disclaimer: The EU&I app user sample is not a cross-sectional representation of EU citizens and should not be interpreted as such.
