Only about one in eight Europeans (12%) believes that politicians are preparing well for the future – in Germany, it's even less, with only one in twenty (5%) still trusting in the right actions. These are the findings of the latest European study by the BAT Foundation for Future Issues, for which over 11,000 people aged 14 and over in ten European countries were interviewed in representative personal interviews.

Today, December 10, 2012, the European Union will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This positive news undoubtedly pleases all political representatives of the continent. However, the citizens of Europe are giving their politicians a more than negative assessment. Across Europe, trust in political representatives has reached a new low. While in 2010, 14 percent and in 2011, 13 percent trusted that politicians would prepare well for the future, currently only 12 percent of Europeans hold this view.

The Danes are the only ones who still have some faith in the correct actions of their elected representatives. In Poland and Greece, Germany and Great Britain, by contrast, only a vanishingly small number of citizens still place their trust in the politicians' ability to lead the way. "Trust in politics has almost completely disappeared. The population feels they are constantly receiving bad news without ever learning the full truth about the extent of the crisis. Citizens also increasingly see politicians as reactive, merely reacting instead of acting, and who have themselves lost sight of the bigger picture," says Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt, Scientific Director of the BAT Foundation.

Life in ongoing times of crisis
The population continues to expect crises.

From the financial crisis to the economic crisis to the euro crisis, the population feels like it is living in a perpetual state of crisis. And more than two-thirds of Europeans (68%) expect further crises in the future. Especially in Greece and Spain, which are suffering particularly badly from the current economic situation, there is great concern about lurching from one crisis to the next. But three-quarters of the French and two-thirds of the Germans also view the future pessimistically. And even among the usually optimistic Dutch, almost half fear a continuation of these uncertain times. Reinhardt: "Europeans have now realized that it is not a question of whether there will be a new crisis, but only when and how severe it will be.".

Fear of an increasing divide between rich and poor
Three-quarters of German citizens express concern.

Although Europe is one of the richest regions on earth, around 17 percent – or over 100 million – of Europeans live below the poverty line. They lack sufficient funds to meet basic needs. Meanwhile, record profits and increased revenues are being reported by companies, along with bonuses for bankers and executives. Nearly three out of four Europeans fear that the resulting societal divide will worsen in the future. Across Europe, a majority in every country is now convinced of this trend. Besides crisis-stricken countries like Greece and Spain, it is primarily wealthy nations such as Denmark, France, Germany, and Switzerland that share this concern. These fears are certainly justified, according to a UN report.

• In Europe, ten percent of the total population owns 60 percent of the total wealth;
• The number of millionaires has increased by 19 percent in the past three years;
• Five percent of the European population own as much real estate as the remaining 95 percent;
• Average salaries in Europe have tripled since the end of the 1970s, while manager salaries have increased eightfold.

„The social divide is wide open throughout Europe. The middle class – as the backbone of every society – must be relieved and supported, otherwise social tensions and open conflicts are imminent,“ fears Prof. Reinhardt.