A little more than half of Latvia's residents look to the future of the country and the world with optimism 0 10

The survey notes that global events are causing concern among residents of the European Union, and geopolitical upheavals have affected the mood of Europeans.

A little more than half, specifically 52% of Europeans, view the future of the world pessimistically, 39% view the future of the EU pessimistically, and 41% view the future of their own country pessimistically. At the same time, 76% of Europeans are optimistic about their future and the future of their families.

The data shows that respondents in Latvia are more optimistic than the EU average. Thus, 56% of those surveyed in Latvia look to the future of the world with optimism, 64% look to the future of the EU, 59% look to the future of Latvia, and 75% look to their own future and the future of their families.

As the authors of the survey note, it indicates the presence of many problems. Among all the highlighted issues, residents are most concerned about security matters. 72% are worried about conflicts at the EU borders, 67% about terrorism, 66% about cyberattacks from countries outside the EU, 66% about natural disasters caused by climate change, and uncontrolled migration flows.

Serious concerns are also related to communication risks: 69% are worried about disinformation, 68% about hate speech online and in real life, 68% about fake content created using artificial intelligence, and 67% about threats to freedom of speech.

Residents of Latvia are primarily concerned about conflicts at the EU borders — this was acknowledged by 72% of respondents. Additionally, 70% are worried about uncontrolled migration, and 59% about the presence of drones from third countries in the EU airspace or near it.

The survey also showed that 66% of EU residents (76% in Latvia) want the EU to take care of their security, particularly emphasizing the role of the EU as a protector in the current political context. Citizens also believe that unity is of great importance — 89% believe that EU member states should be more united, and 73% agree that the EU needs greater resources to counter current global challenges. In Latvia, these figures are 91% and 74% respectively.

According to 40% of EU residents, to strengthen the EU's position in the world, it is necessary to focus primarily on defense and security, while another 32% believe that more attention should be paid to competitiveness, the economy, and industry, and 29% to energy independence. These three priorities were also most frequently mentioned by respondents from Latvia.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola acknowledges that geopolitical tension affects Europeans' sense of security, and citizens expect the EU to provide protection, be ready to act, and act collectively.

"This is what a stronger and more confident Europe should do. Europe is our strongest shield," emphasizes Metsola.

The survey also revealed that high prices continue to affect the standard of living. Europeans once again expressed a desire for the European Parliament to pay more attention to inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living — this was indicated by 41% of respondents. Among the main priorities are also the economy and job creation — mentioned by 35% of survey participants, with this figure rising by five percentage points since May 2025.

Residents of Latvia identified the economy and job creation as the main priorities — 48%, healthcare — 45%, and EU defense and security — 41%.

Most EU residents believe that their standard of living will remain stable over the next five years, although 28% think it will worsen. This is particularly characteristic of countries with pronounced economic instability. The strongest conviction about a decline in living standards is observed among residents of France, Belgium, and Slovakia — from 40% to 45%.

Residents of Latvia are the second most optimistic in the EU: 29% believe that their standard of living will increase. Only Finland has a higher figure (31%). Another 52% of respondents in Latvia believe that their standard of living will not change, and only 16% expect it to decline.

According to Europeans, peace is a value that the European Parliament should protect first and foremost in the current geopolitical situation — this is the opinion of 52% of respondents. Other important values include democracy (35%), freedom of speech (23%), human rights (22%), and the rule of law (21%).

In Latvia, respondents most frequently mentioned peace among the values to be protected — 61%, freedom of speech — 31%, as well as democracy and the rule of law — both 26%.

The attitude of Europeans towards the EU and its institutions remains positive, although this figure has slightly decreased since May 2025. Less than half — 49% of residents (three percentage points lower than before) have a positive view of the EU, while 17% have a negative view. In Latvia, these figures are 46% and 13% respectively.

The positive perception of the European Parliament is held by 38% of Europeans (three percentage points lower than before), while 20% have a negative view. In Latvia, 24% of respondents view the European Parliament positively, 58% neutrally, and 14% negatively.

An increasing number of residents — 62% in the EU and 69% in Latvia — believe that their country's membership in the EU can be assessed positively. This figure has increased by two percentage points since February/March 2024.

The Eurobarometer also revealed that young people remain the most active in supporting the EU and have high hopes for it. Unlike older generations, young Europeans aged 15 to 30 are much more likely to view the EU and the European Parliament positively: 58% of young people have a positive opinion of the EU, compared to 43–49% in older age groups. Additionally, 68% of young people want the European Parliament to play a more significant role, while in older groups, this is the opinion of 54–58%.

Young people particularly actively support the unity of EU countries in the current global context, the need for greater resources, and the strengthening of the EU's role on the international stage, as noted in the survey.

The autumn 2025 Eurobarometer survey of the European Parliament was conducted by the research agency Verian in all 27 EU countries from November 6 to 30.

Respondents were surveyed in person, and in Denmark, Cyprus, Malta, the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden, video interviews were additionally used. A total of 26,453 interviews were conducted. The results for the EU were assessed taking into account the population of each member state.