
How Trump’s Tariffs and Foreign Policies Have Bolstered Support for the E.U. – The New York Times
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How Trump’s Tariffs and Foreign Policies Have Bolstered Support for the E.U.
Trust in the European Union is at a two-decade high. The bloc is looking for ways to improve its economy. It has struck deals with countries including Canada and the U.S. The U.K. is the biggest economy in the EU.
The European Union was in bad shape at the start of the first Trump administration. Public trust in the bloc was at a historic low, Britain had just voted to leave, and the European economy was struggling to recover from the global financial crisis, which had set off a series of debt-related meltdowns across the continent.
But things slowly started to improve from around 2016. In recent months, sentiment around the European Union has picked up further. Trust ratings are approaching a two-decade high. E.U. leaders are striking trade deals with fast-growing economies like Indonesia, standing up a defense plan that has garnered partnerships with nations including Canada, and even Britain recently struck a deal to reset relations.
The bloc still has very real problems. Its population is aging and economic growth remains slow. Populist detractors who criticize it loudly have been gaining momentum, and it is grasping for ways to revitalize competitiveness. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, has come under fierce criticism as she tries to overhaul the bloc’s budget.