Majorities ‘unhappy’ with cost of living in Western Europe – poll – RT World News
Respondents in seven countries felt ‘very negative about their governments’ approaches’, YouGov survey finds
More than 60% of people in each of the seven Western European countries surveyed by YouGov say their government is doing poorly « to manage the cost of living. » Large majorities have been forced to cut household spending and expect the trend to continue.
The countries analyzed in the survey are Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Sweden and Denmark. The most widespread dissatisfaction was expressed by British and Italian respondents. About 82% in both countries rate their respective governments’ attempts to control costs negatively, with only 10% and 13% saying the leaders were doing well.
However, taxpayers in the Nordic countries showed a higher rate of satisfaction. While 65% and 62% in Sweden and Denmark respectively were unhappy, 27% in both countries said governments were « do a good job » against the cost of living.
« No less than 80% of the inhabitants of each country have made budget cuts or think they will have to do so, this figure reaching 93% in Italy », said YouGov.
Some 41% of Italians also say that in « For the past three months they have ‘always’ or ‘mostly’ struggled to pay their energy bills. » YouGov noted that new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will have to « act quickly » to solve the problem.
Turning to Britain, YouGov’s September survey indicates that the vast majority of Britons also disapprove of the cabinet’s new economic plans. At that time, 72% of respondents thought that « Abolishing the top tax rate was the wrong priority right now. »
The cost of energy and living in Europe has increased significantly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin stressed that European authorities should not blame Russia for rising energy bills. “Ordinary Europeans are suffering. Their electricity and gas bills have more than tripled in one year. The population, like in the Middle Ages, began to store firewood for the winter,” he noted.
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