The vote of the British people to leave the EU produced a political earthquake that will change the face of Europe. The forces of fragmentation continue to challenge Europe at a moment of historic weakness caused by economic stagnation, external and internal security threats, massive migrant and refugee flows, and sharp political divisions both within and among countries.  In turn, the United States is reluctant to play its historic role as a facilitator—if not a driver—of European unity and action.  Populism and demagoguery have spread across the Atlantic. Mistrust of institutions, pessimism about the future, fear of terrorism, and resentment of economic stagnation have opened doors to belligerent nationalistic rhetoric offering simplistic solutions that can subvert the core values of the Euro-Atlantic community.

What future are the people of Europe driving towards? Pew’s latest study, takes the pulse of Europe’s public.  Conducted across ten European Union (EU) countries (France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), this study and discussion will focus on Brexit’s impact one year later, how Europeans view their countries’ relationships with the EU, their views toward how Europe’s leaders are handling issues like the economy and refugees, and what the pulse of Europe means for the future of the transatlantic community.