Poll: Europeans are torn between America and China
A new poll reveals that Europeans are deeply divided over whether to align more closely with the United States or China, reflecting growing geopolitical tensions and shifting global alliances. The survey shows significant variation in attitudes across different European countries, with no clear consensus on which superpower to prioritize in foreign policy and economic relations.
Background
European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) regularly polls EU citizens on foreign policy. This survey (14 EU countries, ~19,000 respondents) reveals a sharp divide: Northern/Western European publics still lean toward the US as a security partner, while Southern/Eastern European publics increasingly view China as an economic opportunity and a neutral alternative in great-power competition. The data tracks a long-term erosion of automatic transatlantic solidarity, accelerated by the Ukraine war and frustration with US "allyship" under both Trump and Biden. Key concept: "strategic autonomy" — the EU goal of being able to act independently of the US — has more popular support than elite discourse suggests, though publics disagree on what it means in practice.