Cypriots Name Education and Research as the Country's Top Priorities

The results of the European Parliament’s Winter Eurobarometer for 2025 have been released. Cypriots identified education and scientific research as the top political priorities at the European level. In comparison, Europeans in other countries prioritized defense, security, and competitiveness.

The Winter Eurobarometer for 2025, conducted by the research company Verian, was carried out from January 9 to February 4, 2025, across all 27 EU member states through face-to-face interviews. A total of 26,354 EU citizens participated, including 502 people from Cyprus, who took part in the survey from January 9 to 29.

At the EU level, the most frequently cited priorities were defense and security (36%), followed by competitiveness, economy, and industry (32%). While the priority placed on defense and security remained stable compared to February/March 2024, the percentage of respondents choosing competitiveness, economy, and industry rose by five percentage points. Other key issues included energy independence (27%), food security and agriculture (25%), and education and scientific research (23%).

On Cyprus, 46% of respondents said the EU should focus on education and research, slightly ahead of those who prioritized security and defense (45%). Other notable concerns included food security and agriculture (26%), EU values such as democracy and human rights (23%), and demographics and migration (19%).

As for the priorities the European Parliament aims to set at the EU level, citizens identified inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living (43%) as the most urgent, followed by EU defense and security (31%), combating poverty and social isolation (31%), and supporting the economy and job creation (29%).

Inflation, rising prices, and the cost of living emerged as key concerns across all age groups, with the highest percentages recorded in Portugal (57%), France (56%), Slovakia (56%), Croatia (54%), and Estonia (54%).

In Cyprus, the top priorities (with a slight difference) were combating poverty and social isolation (43%), followed by inflation and the cost of living (42%). Other significant concerns included public health support (37%) and immigration and asylum issues (35%).

Thirty-three percent of Cypriots expect their standard of living to decline in the next five years, an increase of seven percentage points compared to June-July 2024. This includes 53% of respondents in France (+8 percentage points) and 47% in Germany (+15 percentage points). In comparison, Cyprus is closer to the European average, with 32% expecting a decline (down by 9 percentage points).

Additionally, 83% of Cypriots believe the European Union should play a more significant role in protecting citizens from global crises and security threats, which is higher than the EU average of 66%. This viewpoint is particularly widespread among younger respondents. The highest percentages for this opinion were recorded in Sweden (87%), while the lowest were in Romania (47%) and Poland (44%).

At the same time, 95% of Cypriots (89% across the EU) believe that member states should work together to address current global challenges.