Southern Europe

Unemployment much lower among residents with tertiary education than those without
High rates of unemployment and underemployment are among the biggest problems facing southern Europe's troubled economies. Among southern Europeans with college degrees, however, employment figures are as strong as they are in more economically stable countries farther north.

Older people fare better in wealthier European nations
Older Europeans are generally less happy than those who are younger -- 57% of those aged 75 and older say they experienced happiness "yesterday" versus 66% of younger residents. However, happiness among older people doesn't decline as much in European nations with higher GDPs and longer life expectancies.

Three-quarters believe independence was a good thing, down from 93% in 2008
On the second anniversary of Kosovo’s proclaimed independence from Serbia, a Gallup Balkan Monitor Survey shows that 75% of Kosovo Albanians believe independence was a good thing, down from 93% who said so in 2008. A relative majority of respondents think the country is going in a good direction.

Attitudes linked to economic perceptions more than to corruption
A Gallup Poll finds 39% of Romanians in 2009 believe that they can get ahead through hard work, down sharply from the 71% who said so in 2005. These attitudes appear to be driven more by respondents’ perceptions of their economic futures than by their perceptions of corruption.

After independence, Kosovans express more optimism toward overall life
Gallup Polls conducted in October 2008, just months after a newly independent Kosovo ratified its constitution, find respondents more positive about their own lives, their government, and their city and local economies than in January 2007.

A regional median of 60% in the Balkans support Macedonia’s name
Despite Greece’s criticism of Macedonia for using the same name as a Greek province, a regional median of 60% of respondents from six Balkan nations and special areas agree with the use of the name “Macedonia.”

In Kosovo, more Serbs than Albanians say people fear expressing views
Many people in Kosovo are publicly expressing their views on the country’s newly declared independence. Last year, a majority of Kosovar Serbs (51%) told Gallup that many or most people in Serbia were afraid to openly express their political views, while only 14% of Kosovar Albanians agreed.

A majority of Serbs think an independent Kosovo will destabilize the region
Kosovo has declared its independence from Serbia, an action that a majority of Serbs within Kosovo and Serbia polled by Gallup last year believed will destabilize the region. A majority of Kosovar Albanians, however, did not believe that an independent Kosovo would result in regional instability.

About one-third in each country say children lack chance to learn, grow
A key challenge for the newest members of the European Union, Romania and Bulgaria, is improving the treatment of children in their countries. At least 30% of respondents in each country say children are not treated with respect and dignity.

Most think the U.S. is hostile toward their country
As tension mounts in Turkey, Gallup highlights recent data that underscore Turks’ negativity toward the United States and its leadership.

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