The survey, conducted in July and August, revealed that across the EU, the top three concerns identified by residents were the economic situation, public finances and immigration. Across the EU27, 64% of citizens believed the economic state of their respective countries was “bad”, while 42% believed their countries would recover “in 2023 or later” from the negative impact of the health crisis.

Luxembourg residents, however, ranked these issues well below the EU27 average. When asked to select the two most important issues facing their country, 52% in the grand duchy chose housing (compared to 5% in the EU27), with health and environment/climate change tied at 23% (compared to 31% and 14%, respectively, in the EU27). While 33% of those in the EU selected the economic situation as a top concern, only 18% of Luxembourg residents selected this category. 

The proportion of residents responding that their national economies were good ranged from 9% in Greece to 83% in the grand duchy.

When asked what the two most important issues facing the EU were, 36% of Luxembourg residents surveyed responded the environment/climate change (compared to 20% in the EU27), while 33% were concerned with the economic situation (versus 35% across the bloc). 

53% of Luxembourg respondents were overall optimistic about the future of the EU, and over 90% of them were for free movement of EU citizens, and common energy, defence/security, migration and trade policies across the member states. 

Impact of covid-19

Luxembourg respondents also estimated it will take more time for the nation’s economy to recover from the adverse effects of the covid-19 outbreak, with most saying recovery will be in 2023 or later (45%), compared to by 2022 (33%) or by 2021 (18%). 

When questioned about measures, including confinement, 36% of Luxembourg respondents said they were both easy and difficult to cope with (versus 30% in EU27). 31% of EU27 respondents stated the measures were fairly easy to cope with, compared to just 24% for Luxembourg.