Europe & Russia

In general, Western European countries that have a mandatory church tax aren’t any less religious than those that don’t have such a tax.

When compared with other wealthy nations, the U.S. is unique in that a large share of its population prays every day.

Sizable majorities of adults in six European countries with a mandatory tax say they pay it and few say they are likely to opt out.

Giving a share of one’s income to the church has been a part of European tradition for centuries. Today, several countries continue to collect a “church tax” on behalf of officially recognized religious organizations, in some cases levying the tax on all registered members.

Dissatisfaction with democracy is correlated with views on economic conditions, whether key democratic norms are being respected and other issues.

Across 27 countries, more people are unhappy with the state of democracy in their countries than satisfied. Discontent with democracy is tied to concerns about the economy, individual rights and out-of-touch elites.

France stands out from other Western European countries for its broad discontent toward the news media. About a third of adults say they trust the news media, including just 4% who say they have a lot of trust

People see diversity and gender equality increasing in their countries but say family ties have weakened. Views on the importance of religion vary widely.

Majorities in many countries say global climate change is a major threat to their nation. Global concerns about climate change have risen since 2013.

Worldwide, an estimated $625 billion (USD) was sent by migrants to individuals in their home countries in 2017, a 7% increase from 2016, when the amount was $586 billion, according to economists at the World Bank. This increase follows two consecutive years of decline.