How do people across Europe feel about taxing the rich more? A new map breaks it down country by country, using data from a wide mix of trusted sources—including Eurobarometer 529 (EB87.1), Euronews, Ipsos, OECD, Statista, UNESCO, Euractiv, mdpi, Sofia Globe, today.rtl, EVN, and Qery.
The map was created by Reddit user Alarmed_Wish3294, who compiled data from these sources to show the share of people in each country who believe the rich should pay more in taxes.
What stands out is how differently people in various countries answer this same question. In some places, support for raising taxes on the wealthy is overwhelming. In others, it’s far more muted.
Countries with Lower Support
At the bottom of the list, we see:
Estonia – 42%
Finland – 49%
Norway – 52%
Denmark – 53%
Netherlands – 55%
Lithuania – 57%
Latvia – 58%
Slovenia – 60%
Czechia – 62%
Slovakia – 63%
Much of this list includes the Nordics, the Baltics, and parts of Central Europe.
For the Nordic countries, the explanation is fairly straightforward. Their income tax systems are already steep and progressive. When top earners are already taxed heavily, calls for even higher taxes might not gain as much traction. In these societies, the government already plays a strong redistributive role, and public services are well-funded.
Sweden is a bit of an outlier. While also Nordic, it has higher wealth inequalitythan its neighbors, which could explain why support for taxing the rich might be stronger there than in Finland or Norway.
The lower support in the Baltics and Central Europe is a bit harder to pin down. It could relate to trust in institutions, recent history, or simply differing views on economic fairness.
Where Support Is High
Now let’s flip the map. The countries with the highest percentage of people in favor of taxing the rich more are:
Spain – 87%
Serbia – 86%
Russia – 85%
Italy – 82%
Hungary – 82%
Germany – 81%
Romania – 81%
Bulgaria – 81%
Turkey – 81%
Belgium – 81%
Spain leads the group, and it’s not hard to see why. After years of economic hardship, housing challenges, and youth unemployment, more people there believe the wealthy should contribute more.
Russia, where a small elite holds an enormous share of national wealth, shows similarly high support. In Italy and Hungary, economic stress and dissatisfaction with inequality likely play a role. Germany’s support might be driven by concern over rising living costs and generational wealth disparities.
These numbers reflect a broader sense of frustration in countries where economic divides feel more visible and pressing.
It’s a fascinating set of contrasts. In some places, people seem to believe their tax systems are already doing enough. In others, there’s a strong sense that more should be done to balance things out.
Where does your country stand on the map? And do you agree with your fellow citizens, or not? Share your thoughts in the comments.
