Over 6 million people have voted in a survey launched by the European Central Bank (ECB) to determine the designs for new euro banknotes. The survey, which opened last week, asks whether the notes should depict cultural figures or birds and waterways.
The ECB Chair, Christine Lagarde, unveiled 10 design proposals last week, five focusing on culture and five on wildlife. These proposals are for the €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, and €200 notes, marking the first full redesign since the currency's paper money entered circulation in 2002.
Cultural figures proposed include Maria Callas, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie, Miguel de Cervantes, Leonardo da Vinci, and Bertha von Suttner. Wildlife options feature birds such as the wallcreeper, kingfisher, bee-eater, white stork, avocet, and northern gannet.
The survey on the ECB's website will close on 21 September. Its feedback, along with a second quantitative survey and a jury's verdict, will inform the central bank's final decision on the winning design at the end of 2026. The new notes are anticipated to enter circulation in 2030 or 2031.