6 in 10 Europeans say von der Leyen should quit after trade deal with Trump, survey finds

 

6 in 10 Europeans say von der Leyen should quit after trade deal with Trump, survey finds

 

Three-quarters of Europeans think Commission president failed to defend their interests, with half feeling “humiliated.”

 

September 9, 2025 6:03 pm CET

By Elena Giordano

https://www.politico.eu/article/six-in-ten-european-ursula-von-der-leyen-step-down-survey/

 

A slim majority of EU citizens think European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should resign, a survey published Tuesday shows.

 

When asked about von der Leyen’s future, 39 percent said they were “very favorable” to her resignation, 21 percent “somewhat favorable,” and just 8 percent “very against.”

 

Much of the criticism stems from the EU-U.S. trade agreement finalized this summer.

 

The deal came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 30 percent tariffs on European exports if no agreement was reached. While the final compromise capped tariffs at 15 percent — far below Trump’s threat but still much higher than the previous average of 1.47 percent — the outcome left many Europeans disillusioned.

 

According to the survey, 52 percent of respondents said they felt “humiliated” by the deal, with the sentiment particularly strong in France (65 percent) and Spain (56 percent).

 

Three-quarters believe von der Leyen failed to defend European interests, while only 19 percent gave her a positive rating. A further 77 percent said the trade agreement primarily benefits the U.S. economy, and 42 percent think European companies will be hit hardest.

 

The Eurobazooka survey was conducted by Cluster17 between late August and early September across five major EU countries — France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Poland — representing more than 60 percent of the EU’s population. The poll surveyed around 1,000 people in each country.