Three out of four residents believe that Spain will face future challenges better as a member of the EU

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Spain continues being a 'pro-European' country, although the positive perception of the alliance has fallen slightly, according to the latest survey

Álvaro Soto

Madrid

Wednesday, 17 December 2025, 14:55

Almost three out of four Spaniards (74%) believe that Spain can better face the challenges of the future within the EU than outside it and a similar number (77%) believe that more decisions should be taken within the EU. This is reflected in the results from the autumn Eurobarometer, presented in Madrid on 17 December.

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of Spain's entry into the EU, the report shows that Spain continues being a 'pro-European' country, although the positive perception of the EU has been slightly eroded compared to previous waves: 49% of those surveyed express confidence in the EU (3% less than in the previous study) compared to 44% who say they have no confidence. In this respect, 38% of the population have a positive image of the EU, 20% a negative one and 41% neutral.

Half of Spaniards (51%) are satisfied with the functioning of democracy in the country, 3% below the average satisfaction of Europeans with their systems. Regarding the media, people trust traditional media, especially radio (59%) and the press (47%), as opposed to websites (46%) or social media (22%).

For 36% of Spaniards, the country's main problem is access to housing (23% more than Europeans), ahead of inflation (23%), immigration and the economic situation (17%). Spaniards rank the invasion of Russia and the international situation as main concerns (25%), with immigration in second place (21%) and the Middle East conflict in third place (17%). In general, Spaniards are satisfied with their daily lives: 91% of Spaniards say so, compared to the 86% of Europeans.

Despite the general satisfaction, Spaniards do have certain expectations from Brussels. In the short term, they call for more 'job opportunities', 'peace and stability' and 'access to housing'. In the long term, they prioritise employment, healthcare and migration.

"The data gives us a clear picture. Spaniards are sensitive to the world's major challenges, demand answers from European institutions and are committed to a stronger and more integrated Europe," director of the European Commission representation in Spain Daniel Calleja said.