Public opinion of the European Union (EU) remains largely positive across much of the world, though few see it as a dominant global economic force, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Across 25 countries, a median of 62% of respondents expressed a favourable view of the EU, while 32% held unfavourable opinions. Support is strongest in Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, and weakest in Greece. Outside the bloc, sentiment is also broadly positive in Canada, Nigeria, South Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (US), while opinions are mixed in Turkey and more divided in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Israel, and South Africa.

In South Africa 47% of respondents had a favourable view of the EU and 38% had an unfavourable view of it. Only two other African countries were included in the survey – Nigeria and Kenya – and both had much more favourable views of the EU. In Nigeria 73% of respondents had a favourable view, with 67% of Kenyans holding this view.

Ideology and age continue to shape perceptions. In about half of the countries surveyed, people on the political left were at least 10 percentage points more likely to view the EU positively than those on the right, while younger adults tended to express more favourable opinions overall.

Despite strong approval ratings, relatively few respondents regard the EU as a top-tier economic superpower: a median of 9% named it as the world’s leading economy, compared with 41% for China and 38% for the US.

The findings suggest that while the EU retains broad goodwill at home and abroad, it still faces challenges in projecting economic influence and unity on the global stage.