A note to readers
Thirty years ago, when the Iron Curtain collapsed and the Berlin Wall fell, the founder of Pew Research Center, Andy Kohut, was on the ground with focus groups and surveys trying to understand what this momentous change meant for ordinary people. Today, we're still asking what democracy and capitalism mean – in Europe, the United States and around the globe. Our survey finds most people in Central and Eastern Europe have no regrets about the changes of three decades ago. Read our new report for more insights.

– James Bell, vice president of global strategy

Brexit divides the UK, but partisanship and ideology are still key factors

The political battle over Brexit in the UK has dragged on for more than three years without resolution, helping to fracture the nation’s politics. A question that has divided British politics – whether to leave the European Union or remain part of it – aligns with attitudes toward the EU, immigration and the country’s culture, but according to a new Pew Research Center survey, traditional cleavages along party lines and the left-right ideological spectrum still exist on other topics.

Attitudes toward EU are largely positive, both within Europe and outside it

The European Union is viewed favorably across much of the world, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. A median of 58% of adults across 33 surveyed countries have a favorable opinion of the EU, while just 27% hold an unfavorable view.

How the attitudes of West and East Germans compare, 30 years after fall of Berlin Wall

Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, people in former West and East Germany overwhelmingly say the unification of their country was a positive development, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Large majorities in both areas say the changes that have unfolded in Germany since 1989 have had a good influence on living standards, health care and national pride, and most also see improvements in areas including family values, spiritual values and law and order.

Where Europe stands on gay marriage and civil unions

More than 18 years after the Netherlands became the world’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage, Northern Ireland has become the latest European jurisdiction to allow gays and lesbians to marry. Although Northern Island is a constituent of the United Kingdom, with its own parliament at Stormont, the change in its marriage laws ultimately came about due to action by the UK Parliament in London.