EU public opinion on future EU expansion 2023

As of 2023, 53 percent of respondents in European Union member states are in favor of the future enlargement of the EU, with 37 percent against. This share fluctuated across the EU, with 77 percent of Lithuanians, 74 percent of Spaniards, and 72 percent of Croatians being in favor of enlargement, while only 29 percent of those in Austria were in favor.

Strikingly, the EU's two largest economic and political powers, France and Germany, both had majorities saying they were not in favor of admitting new countries as members of the union, with 55 percent and 49 percent against respectively. Currently, there are eight countries who are in the process of joining the EU, with the issue becoming more salient as the European Commission has promised to fast-track Ukraine for membership once Russia's war of aggression against the country is finished.

Public opinion on further enlargement of the European Union to include other countries in future years in 2023, by EU member state

Characteristic	For	No answer	Don't know	Against
Lithuania	77%	3%	7%	13%
Spain	74%	3%	10%	13%
Croatia	72%	1%	3%	24%
Latvia	71%	2%	10%	17%
Malta	70%	5%	5%	20%
Poland	67%	4%	4%	25%
Slovenia	66%	2%	6%	26%
Hungary	63%	3%	4%	30%
Ireland	62%	3%	7%	28%
Portugal	62%	3%	7%	28%
Sweden	60%	1%	6%	33%
Luxembourg	58%	2%	5%	35%
Denmark	57%	3%	10%	30%
Belgium	56%	2%	3%	39%
Estonia	56%	2%	11%	31%
Romania	56%	5%	6%	33%
Greece	55%	3%	5%	37%
Netherlands	55%	3%	5%	37%
Italy	54%	3%	8%	35%
European Union	53%	3%	7%	37%
Finland	52%	3%	12%	33%
Bulgaria	51%	4%	20%	25%
Czechia	50%	3%	10%	37%
Cyprus	50%	5%	8%	37%
Slovakia	48%	2%	9%	41%
Germany	42%	4%	5%	49%
France	35%	2%	8%	55%
Austria	29%	3%	8%	60%

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Release date

July 2023

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Region

Europe, EU

Survey time period

May to June 2023

Number of respondents

26,425 respondents

Age group

14 years and older

Method of interview

Face-to-face interview, online survey

Supplementary notes

Original survey question: "What is your opinion on each of the following statements? Please tell for each statement, whether you are for it or against it: Further enlargement of the EU to include other countries in future years".

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