Euroscepticism facts for kids

Nigel Farage, a popular eurosceptic.

Euroscepticism is the criticism of the European Union (EU). Some observers also say that the total rejection of the EU is euroscepticism. Euroscepticism should not be confused with Anti-Europeanism, which is the dislike or fear of European culture and/or people.

Eurosceptics says that the European Union weakens the nation state. They also say that the European Union is too bureaucratic (meaning that important decisions are made by officials who aren't elected). In 2016, the countries with the most unfavourable view of the EU were Greece, France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe have been contributed to their Eurosceptic views. On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union with 52% voting to leave.

Polls

In November 2015, a poll showed that those with a positive image of the EU went down from 52% in 2007 to 37%. Distrust of the EU was highest in Greece (81%), Cyprus (72%), Austria (65%), France (65%) Germany (63%), the United Kingdom (63%) and the Czech Republic (63%).

Parties

Some major Eurosceptic parties are shown below (organized by country):

Images for kids

• 

  Public opinion on the EU (2022)

• 

  Heinz-Christian Strache, former leader of the Austrian hard Eurosceptic party FPÖ.

• 

  European flag in Bulgaria torn down by supporters of the Eurosceptic party Attack

• 

  Václav Klaus, former Eurosceptic President of the Czech Republic.

• 

  Pia Kjærsgaard; member (and former leader) of the hard Eurosceptic party Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti), the fifth-largest represented in the Danish parliament and the fifth-most represented in the European Parliament.

• 

  Marine Le Pen, prominent French MEP, former leader and former presidential candidate of the National Front (France) and of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group.

• 

  "Referendum on saving the euro!" Poster from the party Alternative for Germany (AfD) regarding Germany's financial contributions during the Eurozone crisis

• 

  Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary

• 

  Matteo Salvini with the Eurosceptic economists Claudio Borghi Aquilini, Alberto Bagnai and Antonio Maria Rinaldi during the No Euro Day in Milan, 2013. All economists were later elected MPs in different assemblies

• 

  Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom, a hardline Dutch Eurosceptic party and a prominent anti-Islamic radicalism party.

• 

  Polish President Andrzej Duda, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Jarosław Kaczyński, 9 April 2018

• 

  "Trumna dla rybaków" ("Coffin for fishermen"). A sign visible on the sides of many Polish fishing boats. It depicts an obscene Slavic gesture. Polish fishermen protest against the EU's prohibition of cod fishing on Polish ships.

• 

  Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox.

• 

  Russian President Vladimir Putin is an outspoken Eurosceptic who has promoted an alternative Economic Union with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – the Eurasian Economic Union.

• 

  Serbian politician Boško Obradović, a prominent eurosceptic

• 

  Dmytro Yarosh, leader of the Ukrainian hard Eurosceptic party Right Sector.

• 

  Nigel Farage, former Leader of UKIP and the Brexit Party and former co-leader of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group in the European Parliament. Farage is one of the most prominent Eurosceptic figures in the UK.

See also

In Spanish: Euroescepticismo para niños