European public opinion three decades after the fall of communism

Thirty years ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall and end of the Soviet Union brought optimism to long-oppressed publics as they embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Today, most believe democracy has been good for their countries, but many people worry about the future on issues like inequality and the functioning of their political systems.

• 10 key takeaways from the new report
• How West and East German perspectives compare today
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In U.S., the decline of Christianity continues at a rapid pace

America’s religious landscape is changing. The percentage of American adults who describe themselves as Christians is down 12 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated share of the population now stands at 26%, up from 17% in 2009. Church attendance is declining, even as those Americans who do identify as Christians are still attending religious services at the same rate.

Modest changes in views of impeachment proceedings since early September

A majority of Americans approve of the House's decision to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, though they have limited confidence that either party will be “fair and reasonable” in its handling of the inquiry. Opinion on whether the House should conduct impeachment proceedings has changed only modestly since September, based on an analysis that tracks attitudes among the same respondents over time.

• Clinton’s impeachment barely dented his public support, and it turned off many Americans
• From the archives: How the Watergate crisis eroded public support for Richard Nixon

Most U.S. adults intend to participate in 2020 census, but some demographic groups aren’t sure

Americans are broadly aware of the upcoming 2020 census, and 84% say they definitely or probably will participate. However, black and Hispanic adults, those with lower income levels and young people are more likely to express uncertainty about whether they will respond.

The share of Americans who favor stricter gun laws has increased since 2017

There has been a modest rise in support for stricter gun laws in the United States since 2017, despite deep partisan divisions on the issue. While opinion on most gun policies has changed little, somewhat more Americans favor banning high-capacity ammunition magazines today than did so two years ago.

Where Americans and Europeans agree – and differ – in the values they see as important

American and European values sometimes vary when it comes to key areas affecting peoples’ lives, including the factors important to democracy, evaluations of the state, LGBT rights and gender, the importance of religion, and the paths to a successful life.

5 facts about crime in the U.S.

The violent crime rate in the U.S. has declined by 71% over the past quarter century, while the property crime rate has fallen by 69% during that span, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Despite these sharp declines, opinion surveys regularly find that Americans believe crime is up nationally.