A groundbreaking international survey indicates that a striking share of Europeans agree with Donald Trump’s recent assertion that Europe’s national leaders are ‘weak’, POLITICO Brussels reported.
The online poll, conducted by London-based Public First between 5 and 9 December among more than 10,000 adults in the US, Canada, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, shows that voters in Europe’s three largest economies consistently rate Trump as stronger and more decisive than their own heads of government. The findings come days after Trump told POLITICO that European leaders are weak—a claim widely rejected by EU politicians, but one now shown to align with public sentiment.
In Germany, respondents judged Trump more ‘strong and decisive’ than Chancellor Friedrich Merz by 74 per cent to 26 per cent. In France, the gap was nearly identical, with 73 per cent viewing Trump as stronger than President Emmanuel Macron. In the UK, 69 per cent said Trump was more decisive than Prime Minister Keir Starmer. These results highlight how Trump’s criticism of European leadership appears to resonate broadly with European publics.
The survey also reveals deep scepticism about how national and EU institutions have managed relations with Washington since Trump’s return to office. Only 24 per cent of Germans think Merz has handled Trump well, compared to 34 per cent who say he has done poorly. Macron’s position is weaker still: just 16 per cent of French respondents judged his handling of Trump positively, while 39 per cent said he had performed badly. EU leaders fared worst overall, with only 11 per cent of French voters saying Brussels had managed Trump effectively.
Starmer received a more balanced verdict, with equal shares—29 per cent—saying he has handled Trump well or badly. Nevertheless, the results suggest that Trump’s statements about European weakness have found fertile ground among voters.
Beyond leadership comparisons, the research underscores Trump’s wider impact on European politics. Majorities in Germany and the UK consider Trump’s 2024 election more significant for their country than the recent victories of Merz or Starmer. In France, 43 per cent judge Trump’s return more consequential than Macron’s re-election.
While voters still prize honesty and transparency above raw strength, Public First’s Seb Wride noted that European leaders are clearly falling short in the area where Trump critiques them most sharply. ‘His words in the POLITICO interview will ring true,’ Wride said.
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