Hungarians Trust EU More than Average Europeans

Hungarians' trust in the European Union as a place of stability in a troubled world has surged to 80%, well above the EU average of 75%, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey published this week.

Trust among Europeans rose by eight percentage points since the last survey in October-November 2025, but Hungarian support jumped 14 points in the same period.

74% of Europeans view their country’s EU membership as beneficial – the highest percentage, tied with that of 2025 – and 68% believe the EU should play a more prominent role in the future in protecting citizens from global crises and security risks. 73% of respondents would give the EU more tools to address global challenges.
In light of global political developments, Europeans are becoming less optimistic about the future: 58% are pessimistic, while 38% are optimistic.

Respondents see the EU’s role in maintaining peace and strengthening security as the primary benefit of EU membership (40%, a three-percentage-point increase since spring 2025). In second place (34%), they cited the improvement in cooperation among member states resulting from EU membership.

In Hungary, 81% of respondents – seven percentage points above the EU average – believe that EU membership has been beneficial for Hungary. This represents a six-percentage-point increase compared to the spring 2025 survey. According to Hungarian respondents, EU membership is most beneficial to Hungary because of new job opportunities (41%) and economic growth (37%).

Commenting on the results of the survey, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola stated that "amid global uncertainty, Europeans increasingly view the European Union as a beacon of stability. In a turbulent world, this trust is Europe’s greatest asset. However, this is accompanied by a clear expectation that we take decisive action to ensure security, prosperity, and opportunities for our citizens.”

To strengthen its global position, the EU should focus primarily on defense and security (39%) and energy independence (35%), according to respondents. The proportion of those calling for energy independence has increased by six percentage points since the fall of 2025. At the pan-European level, respondents ranked strengthening competitiveness and the economy as their third priority.

When asked about EU priorities, 36% of Hungarians said the bloc should focus on energy independence, followed by defense and security (34%), competitiveness (32%), and food security and agriculture (32%).
However, only 79% of Hungarians reported satisfaction with their quality of life, below the EU average of 83%.

Financial struggles remain a concern, with 48% saying they regularly have difficulty paying bills and 40% occasionally facing financial problems.

Hungarians defined a high quality of life as access to high-quality health care (49%), financial stability (46%), and good physical and mental health (40%).

The survey was conducted between April 9 and May 4, polling 26,421 people across the EU's 27 member states. The aggregate EU results were weighted based on each country's population.