Over the past four years, popular support for the euro has steadily risen from an all-time low of 62% in spring 2013. During the same period, opposition against the euro has also dropped from a record high of 31% to 22% now.
The increasing popularity of the euro comes as the common currency has been strengthening against all other major currencies this year. The euro now is at its highest point against the dollar since January 2015, and it has gained 13.3% against the Swiss franc since then. That’s the biggest jump the euro has ever made against this safe haven currency par excellence.
Source: Eurobarometer
But the stellar performance of the euro and the increasing support for it doesn’t mean the eurozone is out of the woods. While supporters exceed opponents in all eurozone countries (even in Greece, 64% of the population supports euro membership), there is an obvious north-south divide across the common currency zone when it comes to faith in national politicians and the economy.
In Spain, Italy, Greece and France, a large majority of citizens neither trust their government nor have faith in the health of their national economies. In northern countries such as Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland the situation is the exact opposite.
