ministry for foreign affairs sweden transatlantic trends 2011 key findings for sweden

Ministry for Foreign Affairs SwedenMinistry for Foreign Affairs Sweden

Transatlantic Trends 2011

Key findings for Sweden


• Transatlantic Trends is a comprehensive annual survey exploring how Americans and Europeans view the transatlantic relationship and a number of challenges facing the world.

• The countries included in this year’s survey were the United States, Turkey and 12 EU countries: Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

• Polling was conducted between May 25 and June 17, 2011, and around 1 000 people over the age of 18 in each country were interviewed.


Transatlantic Trends 2011 Partners


International Relations

• 74% approve of the way the Swedish government is handling international policies - by far the highest among all nations surveyed.

• Accordingly, only 24% disapprove - the lowest percentage in the survey.


Approval of own government's handling of international affairs

74

66

58 5755 55 55 54 53 52

5047

45 44

39

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Sweden

Germ

any

Slovakia

Portu

gal

Nether

lands

Bulgar

iaU.K

.EU

Franc

e

Poland

U.S.

Italy

Turke

y

Romania

Spain

Percent


Economy

• 68% approve of the way the government is dealing with Sweden’s economy - the highest percentage among all nations surveyed. Accordingly, only 30% disapprove - the lowest percentage.

• 69% say that they have not been affected by the current economic crisis - by far the highest percentage among all nations surveyed.

• Only 31% say they and their families have been affected - the lowest percentage among nations surveyed.


Personally affected by recent economic crisis

8986

82 80 78

71 7067

6156 55

5249

45

31

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Bulgar

ia

Romania U.S.

Portu

gal

Slovakia

Spain

U.K.

Italy EU

Franc

e

Turke

y

Poland

Nether

lands

Germ

any

Sweden

Percent


New Powers

• 55% think that the countries of Asia, such as China, Japan, and South Korea are more important to Sweden than the United States - the highest percentage among EU nations surveyed.

• Only 36% feel that the United States is more important - the lowest percentage among EU nations.


More important region for national interests

60 60 59 58

52 5250

48 4844

41 41

36

24

19

3032

24

3739

42

31

44

50

33

5355

44

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Poland U.K

.

Germ

any

Roman

ia EUIta

ly

Portu

gal

Bulgar

ia

Nethe

rland

s

Franc

e

Slovak

ia

Spain

Sweden

Turke

y

Per

cen

t The U.S. is more important

The countries of Asia aremore important


U.S. - EU Relations

• Only 25% think that the partnership in security and diplomatic affairs between the European Union and the United States should get closer - the lowest percentage among EU nations surveyed.

• 35% think that it should remain about the same - the highest percentage among all surveyed.


The Middle East and North Africa

• 6% believe that Sweden should increase the number of troops in Afghanistan - the highest rate among the EU nations surveyed.

• 48% advocate keeping troop numbers at the current level - the highest percentage among all nations in the survey.


• Only 23% would support withdrawing all Swedish troops in Afghanistan - the lowest percentage among all nations surveyed.

• Additionally, 65% approve of the way the Swedish government has handled the situation in Libya - the highest percentage among all nations surveyed. Accordingly, only 26% disapprove - the lowest percentage in the survey.


• 89% support the Swedish government intervening to protect civilians in Libya - the highest percentage in the survey - while only 9% would oppose - the lowest percentage in the survey.

• 54% say that we should put more pressure on Israel to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict - the highest percentage, equal with Spain.


Whom to pressure to resolve Arab-Israeli conflict

55 54 54

46

42 42 4139 38

2927

21

1613

107

11

16

2017

11

15

27

1513

11

53

107

9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Turke

y

Sweden

Spain

Germ

any

Nether

lands

Franc

eU.K

.

Portu

gal

EUIta

ly

Poland

U.S.

Bulgar

ia

Slovakia

Romania

Per

cen

t

Put pressure on Israel

Put pressure on the Palestinians


Democracy

• 76% believe that it should be the role of the EU to help support democracy in conflict situations such as in the Middle East and North Africa - the highest percentage, equal with Portugal, as opposed to staying out completely.

• 94% would support the Swedish government in helping to monitor elections in new democracies - the highest percentage among all nations surveyed.


• 83% of Swedes say that democracy should be promoted in conflict situations such as in North Africa and the Middle East, even if it leads to instability - the highest rate in the survey.

• Only 9% prefer promoting stability even if it means accepting non-democratic governments - the lowest percentage in the survey.


Promote democracy even if it leads to periods of instability

83

76 75

69

61 60 6058

5350

4541

37 3532

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Sweden

Fran

ce Italy

Spain EU

Portu

gal

Germ

any

Nethe

rland

sU.K

.

Turk

eyU.S

.

Poland

Slovak

ia

Roman

ia

Bulgar

ia

Percent


www.transatlantictrends.org

Read more about the survey and see all the results at:

ministry for foreign affairs sweden transatlantic trends 2011 key findings for sweden

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