• Multiple Eurobarometer and independent surveys show that large majorities of EU citizens support reducing fossil-fuel dependence and back the clean-energy transition, directly contradicting the claim.
• In the 2021 Special Eurobarometer on Climate Change, 81% of EU citizens agreed that clean energies should receive more public financial support even if this leads to a reduction in subsidies for fossil fuels, and 70% said reducing fossil-fuel imports benefits the EU economically¹.
• The 2024 Special Eurobarometer on energy found that 81% of respondents agree reducing oil and gas imports while investing in renewables is important for overall security, and 82% say the EU should reduce its dependency on Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible².
• The European Social Survey (Round 8, 2016) reported that citizens across Europe are generally “not keen on electricity being produced from fossil sources such as coal and natural gas” and favour renewables³.
• A May 2026 YouGov poll across five major EU countries found that over two-thirds of respondents believe reducing dependence on fossil fuels would make Europe safer, and majorities in Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Poland backed government financial support for heat pumps⁴⁵.
• No credible polling was found showing that a majority of EU citizens oppose phasing out or “getting rid of” fossil fuels.

Overall validity: 5%

1. Eurobarometer Survey: Europeans consider climate change to be the most serious problem facing the world - PubAffairs Bruxelles
2. Eurobarometers on energy - European Commission
3. Public Perceptions on Climate Change and Energy in ...
4. Majority of Europeans back reducing fossil fuel imports to make… | T&E
5. Majority of Europeans Back Reducing Fossil Fuel Imports to Make Europe Safer, Polling Shows - CleanTechnica