Thirty years ago, a wave of optimism swept across Europe as walls and regimes fell, and long-oppressed publics embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Three decades later, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that few people in the former Eastern Bloc regret the monumental changes of 1989-1991.
Many Europeans say the European Union promotes peace, and most think it promotes democratic values and prosperity. But they also tend to see it as inefficient, intrusive and out of touch with citizens’ needs.