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On Friday 2 January 2026, Luxembourg-based market researcher Quest Market Intelligence published the results of a survey involving Luxembourg residents between the ages of sixteen and 24 on the subject of Luxembourg’s development in 2025.
Quest said that the survey, undertaken in December 2025, revealed “concerns, negativity and hesitation about the country’s trajectory” and presented a contrasting picture “marked by negative perceptions across several key areas”.
According to Quest, the survey was based on 600 interviews, with the sample representative of the resident population, based on gender, age and nationality quotas.
They noted that, overall, a predominantly critical attitude emerged with regard to developments in three domains: European cohesion, social issues and the perceived pressure on household finances.
In relation to the subject of European cohesion, Quest said that 62% of respondents believed that the European Union has regressed in its ability to move forward together.
They concluded that in a country traditionally very supportive of the European project, this result appeared to reflect less a rejection of Europe than a sense of powerlessness in the face of perceived shortcomings of the European project and growing external threats in a tense international context.
On social issues, 51% of respondents believed that the country had regressed in 2025, including 20% who perceived a clear decline. Quest said the highly conflictual public debate surrounding social reforms has likely reinforced the feeling of a weakening social dialogue, independently of the measures actually implemented. People no longer assess only what they experience directly but also what they fear.
With regard to purchasing power, taxation and system fairness, 49% of respondents believe the country has regressed, including 19% who reported a clear decline. 34% observed no change. Quest remarked that the tense public debate appears to have weighed more heavily on perceptions than the reality of the measures themselves. Although the majority of the population is probably not directly affected by an actual deterioration of their personal situation, perceptions seem to be strongly influenced by debates focusing on the most vulnerable segments of society.
On the subject of pensions and social systems, Quest noted that the reponses “reveal strong polarisation”, with 41% believing that the country avoids or refuses the debate, while 37% feel that a debate has begun to open up. They suggested that the results showed the surveyed population does not necessarily share a common diagnosis regarding the need for action or the roadmap to follow and said: “Without this shared foundation, reforms tend to be perceived as either insufficient or excessive.”
In relation to the environment and economy, Quest remarked that perceptions are slightly negative but the environment appears above all to have become a silent topic, without a clearly identifiable dynamic.
Regarding Luxembourg’s attitude towards businesses and economic activity, Quest reported that the majority of respondents reported no noticeable change. For most of the population, the government’s shift in posture and its actions remain difficult to perceive. The challenges and trade-offs of economic policy appear hard to be seen and understood by the general public.
In contrast, the modernisation, digitalisation and simplification of public services received a clearly more positive assessment. 50% of respondents believe that the country has made progress. Quest highlighted that this was the only area where positive perceptions clearly dominated.
In conclusion, Quest said: “Taken together, the results point to a population that is often negative and frequently hesitant in its judgments. The survey highlights a climate of diffuse negativity, in which concerns about the future are likely to shape perceptions of the present.”
They added: “The challenge may also lie in the ability to explain policy choices clearly and to bring the population along the path of necessary course adjustments. Does the population need a more mobilising narrative, beyond the realities of day-to-day politics?”
