Russia’s war against Ukraine is seen as a significant threat by EU citizens, but irregular migration and terrorism are raising even greater concerns, according to a survey published on Wednesday.
The research, commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation, covers all 27 EU member states and revealed regional differences in the way threats to peace are perceived.
Of the more than 26,000 participants, 25% cited dysfunctional border security as their top concern, while 21% expressed the most concern about terrorist attacks.
Cyber ​​attacks were seen by 19% as the biggest threat, with 18% fearing an attack by a foreign aggressor and 17% citing organized crime.
In Germany, 23% of respondents identified terrorism as the biggest threat to European peace, a concern that may have been influenced by the terrorist attack in Solingen in late August 2023. The attack, attributed to a man from Syria and claimed by Islamic State, resulted in three fatalities and occurred just before the investigation was conducted in September.
The survey also revealed regional differences in concerns. In Poland, which borders Ukraine, 29% of respondents consider a military attack to be the biggest threat to European peace. In contrast, only 16% of respondents in Spain shared this perspective.
The survey, conducted by polling firm Latana in September 2024, surveyed 26,454 people across the EU, with a margin of error of 0.8%.
The Bertelsmann Foundation, founded in 1977, regularly publishes research on education, democracy, society, health, culture and science.
