The handling of irregular migration, the cost of living, and terrorism and security issues are the main challenges that the European Union is facing according to Cypriot respondents of a recent Eurobarometer survey on the EU’s challenges and priorities. According to the same findings, on average in the EU citizens singled out the war in Ukraine, migration and climate change as the main challenges.

In particular regarding challenges, the answer chosen most by Cypriots was irregular migration (64%, compared to 41% in the EU), the cost of living (48%, 32%) and terrorism and security issues (35%, 29%), followed by the war in Ukraine (28%, 50%) and environmental issues and climate change (28%, 35%).

As areas the EU should address as a priority, respondents in Cyprus most frequently mentioned irregular migration (50%, 33% in the EU), followed by security and defence (32%, 29%), the environment and climate change (30%, 33%) and the war in Ukraine (12%, 25%).

The Flash Eurobarometer 550 was conducted between 25 June and 2 July 2024 across the 27 Member States. 25,658 EU citizens were interviewed online, out of which 506 in Cyprus.

Overall optimistic, less on security

Responding to questions on how they see the future of the EU, 59% said they were optimistic (8% very optimistic, 51% rather optimistic) while 37% were pessimistic (29% rather, 8% very). On average in the EU, 58% said they were optimistic (11% very, 47% rather) and 37% said they were pessimistic (28% rather, 9% very).

However, 73% of Cypriots (64% in the EU) said they were concerned about the EU’s security in the next five years (21% very and 52% rather concerned in Cyprus, and 17% very and 47% rather in the EU).

On the EU’s economic outlook in the next five years, Cypriots were somewhat less optimistic than the EU average, as 36% said they were confident in the performance of the EU’s economy (4% very, 32% rather), compared to 50% in the EU (8% very, 42% rather), while 51% of Cypriots was less confident (45% somewhat unconfident, 16% very) compared to 45% in the EU (32% and 13%).

Regarding the strength of the EU’s democracy in the next five years, 53% of Cypriots said they were confident (12% very, 41% somewhat) while in the EU the corresponding percentage stood at 55% (10%, 45%). Also, 45% of Cypriots were not confident (36% somewhat unconfident, 9% very), compared to 41% in the EU (28%, 13%).