Тhe Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in 2014 initiated the establishment of a longitudinal database about the public support for the EU accession process and North Macedonia’s EU membership which would be effectuated through annual public opinion surveys based on a coherent methodology and measurement of identical questions.
This database focuses on two dimensions of public opinion on the EU accession process of North Macedonia, which are addressed in every annual survey, and whose measurement is obtained by the utilization of identical batteries of survey questions. The same database is used for comparative analysis in this joint publication of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, funded by the European Parliament.
Several questions are repeated annually, enabling the identification of long-term trends, shifts in public sentiment, and reactions to major political developments.
The 2025 edition of the survey examines public opinion across four core dimensions that reflect both domestic and international dynamics shaping the country’s European trajectory.
Together, these components provide a comprehensive overview of public attitudes toward the EU accession process, reform expectations, geopolitical positioning, and the broader strategic environment. Where relevant, the analysis disaggregates responses by political orientation and ethnicity to uncover deeper patterns and structural divides.
The survey was conducted through fieldwork carried out between October 22 and November 5, 2025, using a sample of 1003 respondents.
Key findings:
- Citizens remain divided on the next steps in the EU accession process. The largest share (27%) prefers renegotiating the negotiation framework (“French Proposal”), while 24% support constitutional amendments.
- Support for constitutional changes has remained stable over three years (20–24%), indicating long-term attitudinal consistency.
- Support for changing the negotiation framework has more than doubled since 2023 (13% -> 27%), reflecting growing frustration with external conditions rather than the EU itself.
- Opinion is deeply polarized along ethnic lines: 57% of ethnic Albanians support constitutional amendments, compared to only 11% of ethnic Macedonians.
- A growing share of citizens (51%) now views EU negotiations as a process of improving legislation and standards—up from 33% in 2024—indicating a maturing understanding of the technical nature of accession.
- 40% of citizens support full-fledged EU membership, while 29% favor gradual integration that ends with membership within 10–15 years. Another 19% support staged integration without immediate membership.
- Optimism about the EU’s readiness to enlarge by 2030 has rebounded, returning to roughly 50%, after dropping to 33% in 2024—indicating that citizens respond strongly to EU political signals.
- Longitudinal data show that perceptions of US influence have risen by approximately 6% since 2024, continuing a trend of the United States being viewed as a key external factor of influence.
- The EU remains consistently perceived as one of the most influential and trustworthy partners, maintaining its position in the “best ally” category over the years.
Full report: New Global Uncertainties, Old European Commitments: Public Perception on EU Accession in 2025
This is a joint publication of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. This publication receives funding from the European Parliament. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, and the European Parliament assume no responsibility for the facts and opinions expressed in this publication or in any subsequent use of the information contained therein. Sole responsibility lies with the authors.
This publication is intended for the purposes of information only. It may not be used for election advertising during an election campaign.