The price crisis and the economic situation were the main factors taken into account by European voters in the June 9 elections, in which the European Parliament suffered a strong shift to the right with the growth of the European People’s Party and ultra forces. According to a post-election Eurobarometer survey, rising prices were the main reason to vote (42%), followed by the economic situation (41%), then the international context (34%) and the rule of law (32% ). .
The climate emergency, security (placed at the center of EU policies since the Russian invasion of Ukraine) and migration and asylum policies occupy fifth place at European level, with 28% of voters ‘agreement. They recognize that these were the main motivations. for the vote. Far-right forces have placed immigration at the top of their priorities, pushing the EU to toughen its positions.
In Spain, reasons for voting vary slightly compared to the EU as a whole. The economic situation occupies first position (46%), followed by inflation (35%). The welfare state is the third factor for Spanish voters (32%). And then the rule of law (31%) and the international situation (29%).
In Spain, housing matters more than migration
The climate emergency, migration and security are, in the case of Spain, well below the European average. This is just a reason to vote for 14% of those surveyed, half that of the entire EU. Conversely, issues such as unemployment (22% vs. 11%), housing (20% vs. 10%) and education (19% vs. 13%) are higher.
In the case of the climate emergency, the Eurobarometer shows that Spaniards believe they suffer less from the consequences than the rest of Europeans. Only 35% of Spaniards are exposed to extreme weather events (droughts, heatwaves or severe storms), a figure that rises to 38% across the EU. The Greeks (61%), the Maltese (56%) as well as the Hungarians and Slovenes (48%) express the greatest concerns.
Average participation remained virtually the same in the EU compared to 2024 (51%). Spain is one of the countries where participation decreased the most (it remained at 46%), as well as Lithuania and Greece. Belgium, where voting is compulsory for registered people, tops the ranking with 80%, followed by Luxembourg (82%) and Malta (73%). Conversely, Croatia (21%) and Lithuania (28%) are the countries where participation is lowest.
Among the main reasons given by abstainers for not voting, lack of confidence, interest or dissatisfaction with politics, as well as the feeling that voting is pointless, are the main ones. Concerning the party they have chosen, the majority recognizes that they always vote for the same one.
