In a survey released on December 20 showed only 43 percent of those asked trusted the EU while 47 percent stated they don't.The poll by Europbarometer put Italy near the bottom of the countries who have an any faith in the trade bloc.
Only the UK (29 percent), France (32 percent), and Greece (34 percent) are lower than Italy.
Moreover, the average for the trade bloc across its 28 members states is just 43 percent in terms of satisfaction with policies emanating from Brussels.
The news of Italy’s falling trust comes at a time of increasing pressure on the trade bloc.
Following Boris Johnson’s landslide election victory, the UK now has an even stronger mandate to leave the EU.
Mr Johnson has repeatedly stated he will take the UK out of the trade bloc by January 31 and complete the transition period by December 2020.
Mr Johnson’s Brexit deal was approved in the Commons last week by 358 to 234 votes.
Following the vote, Mr Johnson said there would be “no alignment” between the UK and the EU.
He also said the vote “paves the path for a new agreement on our future relationship with our European neighbours based on an ambitious free-trade agreement, with no alignment on EU rules, but instead control of our own laws and close and friendly relations.”
RELATED ARTICLES
In a further blow to the trade bloc’s legitimacy, both Spain and Poland have threatened to leave the EU this week.
In Spain, there is mounting pressure from right-wing parties to back a Brexit-style exit from the EU.
This is in the wake of anger across the country over a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
On Thursday, the ECJ ruled jailed Catalan separatist leader, Oriol Junqueras should have Parliamentary immunity and therefore take up his position as an MEP.
This comes in contrast to Madrid’s argument that he did not qualify to become an MEP as he had not sworn an oath to the Spanish constitution.
Right-wing party (Vox) leader, Santiago Abascal criticised the ruling and said “Spain should not have to comply” with the ECJ.
In Poland, the Government raced through legislation that would allow judges to be dismissed if they questioned the judicial reforms which were recently put forward.
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has promised to reform the country since its re-election in October.
In the wake of the ruling, the country’s Supreme Court warned Poland may have to leave the bloc.
It said: “Contradictions between Polish law and EU law will in all likelihood lead to an intervention by the EU institutions regarding an infringement of the EU treaties, and in the longer perspective will lead to the need to leave the European Union.”
Last week, the European Parliament voted on formal rule-of-law talks over Malta.
The vote was called following the death and subsequent investigation into the killing of journalist, Caruana Galicia in 2017 who had been investigating corruption in the government.
In light of the controversy in the country, MEPs backed a resolution (581 to 26) to start the process of suspending the rights of the state.
Speaking following the vote, Dutch liberal MEP Sophie in ’t Veld said: “What we expect is to put pressure not just on the Maltese government, but on the Commission and the Council to start moving.”
