Eight in 10 Spaniards are pro-EU, but Spain 'needs to push itself more' in Brussels

OPTIMISM about Spain's national political situation has soared since the general elections, voters of all parties hugely support the country's membership of the European Union, but a majority believe Spain needs to take more of a central role in the bloc – these are the conclusions reached by market researchers Metroscopia, commissioned by a national daily newspaper.

According to the survey published in 20 Minutos, an overwhelming 81% believe Spain benefits more by being in the EU than it would outside it – a view largely held by young adults, but which is still prevalent even in the over-65s.

Metroscopia interviewed Spaniards right across the voting scale, from the most left-wing (Unidos Podemos) to the one in 10 who voted far-right Vox, and found little variation in results.

Those who voted centre-right Ciudadanos – which became more right-leaning in the run-up to the general elections on April 28 – are those who most value the EU as an institution, with 91% believing it to be beneficial compared with only 8% who think Spain's membership brings no benefit, or is even harmful.

Voters for the right-wing PP and the very left-wing Unidos Podemos were both 83% in favour of Spain's EU membership, and those who voted for the left-wing socialists, or PSOE – which won the most seats in April – showed more or less the same view, at 84% in favour.

Even those who voted for the alt-right Vox consider, in 75% of cases, that Spain is better off as a member of the Union.

Voters of all colours in the youngest age group interviewed – between 18 and 34 – were the most likely to support Spain's being an EU member State, at 86%, with the 55-64 and over-65 categories the least likely to, but still believing the European Union to be beneficial to Spain in 79% of cases.

Those aged 35-54 inclusive were 82% in favour of the country's EU membership.

Across the board, Spaniards do not believe the EU is perfect, but rather than being a reason to want to leave, they consider the situation could be improved by Spain taking on a more central role.

During the reign of the PP between 2011 and June 2018, Spain's presence in the EU was not greatly felt, although even during the previous PP-led tenure from 1998 to 2004 and the last socialist-led government of 2004 to 2011, the country could still have made itself more conspicuous, the public often said at the time.

Spain's real 'thrust' within the bloc was during the reign of socialist president Felipe González until 1998 – a leader credited with aiding the country’s joining of the Union and making its presence felt, leading to significant investment in national infrastructure.

In total, 55% of Metroscopia's interviewees feel Spain should carry more weight within the EU than it currently does, and view the situations in the UK and Italy – the former, with Brexit scheduled for October 31 at the latest, reducing the membership to 27 countries, and the latter, with a far-right government now in power – as the ideal opportunity for Spain to 'push itself'.

As for national politics, a Metroscopia survey in March found that 87% of Spaniards thought the situation was 'bad' – with the country being led by a party which only held 85 seats out of Parliament's 351 – but now, only 56% take this view. 

Whilst this is still a majority, it is a drastic drop in just two months, showing optimism for the nation's political situation is growing rapidly.

This said, the negative views mainly come from respondents who voted for the right-wing, given that the socialists are likely to form a left-wing coalition with Unidos Podemos or, at least, seek agreements with them so that they will support socialist leader Pedro Sánchez's being invested as president.

Whilst only 40% of socialist voters believe Spain's political situation is 'bad', a total of 76% of those who voted for the far-right Vox believe so – even though their party, which was virtually absent in the last general elections, gained 24 seats in Parliament, entering the hub of the government for the first time.

Spaniards' views of the national economy remain poor, however: 93% of Vox voters, 86% of PP voters and 83% of Ciudadanos voters are of this opinion.

A majority of those who voted Unidos Podemos – 65% - believe the economic situation is 'poor', although a much lower figure than those who voted for the right.

Among those who cast their ballots in favour of the winning socialists, though, those who consider Spain's economic situation to be 'poor' are in the minority, albeit only just, at 49%.