Poll: Overwhelming majority of Europeans support imposing retaliatory tariffs against Washington
A YouGov poll published Tuesday showed that a majority of Europeans in six major EU countries support retaliatory tariffs on US imports, despite being aware of the potential economic repercussions of such measures.
This stance comes amid escalating trade tensions between Brussels and Washington, with the United States preparing to impose a new set of tariffs tomorrow, April 2.
The poll results indicated that citizens in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden largely support countermeasures against the US actions.
According to the data, 69% of survey participants expressed support for retaliatory measures, with the highest support recorded in Denmark (79%) and the lowest in Italy (59%).
These results reflect growing European frustration with US trade policies, amid fears of negative economic repercussions for Europe.
In Germany, whose strong auto sector is expected to be the hardest hit by the 25% US tariffs on cars, 75% of respondents believe these measures will have a significant impact on the country’s economy, with 31% stating the impact will be huge.
In France, 70% of citizens expressed pessimism about the repercussions of US tariffs on European goods, particularly in light of US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs of up to 200% on French wine and spirits.
This has sparked widespread concern among French producers and exporters, who fear a severe blow to one of the country’s most prominent industries.
In Italy, 70% of respondents also expressed concern about the economic impact of US tariffs, although their support for retaliatory measures was lower than in other countries.
The European Commission announced a package of countermeasures in response to the implementation of US tariffs on steel and aluminum, a move aimed at striking a trade balance with Washington.
In a notable stance, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a cautious approach to European measures, emphasizing during a meeting with opposition MPs on March 29 the importance of acting rationally, not impulsively… It’s true that there are disagreements over tariffs, but for this very reason, we shouldn’t react impulsively,” She said.
The survey also showed that European citizens don’t seem convinced by the narrative promoted by Trump, which accuses the European Union of treating the United States unfairly in trade, particularly regarding auto tariffs and the trade surplus.
According to the survey, between 40% and 67% of respondents believed the EU was fair in its trade relations with Washington.
The United States announced last week that it would impose a 25% tariff on car imports, prompting Brussels to pledge to take countermeasures once the tariffs take effect on Wednesday, although the full scope of the US measures remains unclear.
The YouGov survey included the opinions of 7,300 European citizens from the six aforementioned countries.
