---
title: "Public Yawns at European Economic Woes"
description: "As the G-8 leaders prepare to meet at Camp David on Friday, the dominant topic of conversation will be the European debt crisis. Yet it is a crisis that has attracted minimal interest or concern among the U.S. public, despite warnings from economists that Europe’s problems may threaten this country’s fragile recovery. Last week was […]"
date: "2012-05-17"
authors:
  - name: "Pew Research Center"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/05/17/public-yawns-at-european-economic-woes/"
categories:
  - "Economic Conditions"
  - "News Media Trends"
  - "Recessions & Recoveries"
---

# Public Yawns at European Economic Woes

As the G-8 leaders prepare to meet at Camp David on Friday, the dominant topic of conversation will be the European debt crisis. Yet it is a crisis that has attracted minimal interest or concern among the U.S. public, despite warnings from economists that Europe’s problems may threaten this country’s fragile recovery.

Last week was typical: In[ the Pew Research Center’s weekly News Interest Index](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/05/15/obama-support-for-gay-marriage-publics-top-story/), just 17% said they were following news about economic problems in Europe very closely. Just 3% cited this as their top story of the week. By comparison, 40% tracked U.S. economic news very closely and 20% said they followed it more closely than any other story.

A week earlier, nearly four times as many said the death of football player Junior Seau was their top story than cited Europe’s economic problems (11% vs. 3%).

In part, the public’s lack of interest Europe’s woes is part of a broader indifference to international news. [Last year](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2011/12/21/2011-a-year-of-big-stories-both-foreign-and-domestic/), there were a number of breakthrough foreign stories, from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan to the “Arab spring.” Not this year. Aside from the deadly crash of a cruise ship off the coast of Italy in January, no international story has come close to

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2012/05/5-17-12-1.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/05/17/public-yawns-at-european-economic-woes/5-17-12-1/)

topping the weekly news interest index.

The public does not believe Europe’s financial crisis presents much of a threat to the U.S. economy. [Last December, Pew Research asked about the seriousness of several possible threats to the U.S. economy](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2011/12/15/section-3-views-of-national-economy-major-economic-threats/). Fully 76% said the size of the national debt posed a major threat to U.S. economic well-being. Fewer than half (46%) said Europe’s economic problems represented a major threat. In terms of foreign threats, far more viewed economic competition from China as a major concern than the European crisis.

There were wide partisan differences over several possible economic threats, but not the Europe crisis. Only about half of Republicans and independents (49% each) said Europe’s economic problems represented a major threat to U.S. well-being, as did 43% of Democrats.