Belgians are much more concerned about worried about public debt than people in other EU countries

The autumn Eurobarometer survey shows that 30% of respondents in Belgium see public debt as the country’s biggest challenge. This compares to an average of just 12% in the rest of the EU. The high cost of living ranks second in the list of concerns for people living in Belgium. This is followed by concerns about immigration, the economy and security.

As regards EU level issues, Belgians see immigration as the most pressing challenge, ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Nevertheless, 80% of respondents said that they Russia’s attack on Ukraine as a threat to European security. This more than the average of 77% for the EU as a whole. Almost three-quarters of Belgian respondents also said that they believe that the war poses a direct threat to Belgium and they support continued European backing for Kyiv.

Views on the EU and democracy are more divided. More than three quarters of Belgians agree that challenges at a European level should be tackled together. Almost 70% also said that they want more decision-making powers to be given to the European Union. However, trust in the EU is relatively low, 43% compared to an EU average of 48%. Satisfaction with the way in which Belgian democracy works remains relatively low at 55%. 

While trust in traditional media remains higher in Belgium than elsewhere in the EU, it has declined sharply. The percentage of those that trust what the hear on the radio and see on TV has fallen by around 10 percentage points to 72% and 69% respectively, while trust in the written press has dropped five percentage points to 65%. Trust in the internet and social media is at an all-time low, at 39% and 23% respectively.

Despite their concerns, overall life satisfaction in Belgium remains remains high at 87%.

The Eurobarometer survey is conducted twice a year to track public opinion trends across EU member states. The autumn survey was based on interviews with 1,013 Belgian respondents.