Public support for EU membership in Serbia shows cautious growth, with strong backing among youth

The January 2026 regular public opinion poll conducted for the EU Delegation to Serbia shows a slight increase in public support for Serbia’s EU membership, alongside a growing conviction that the European Union should be Serbia’s key foreign-policy and economic partner.

If a referendum on EU accession were held tomorrow, 45% of citizens would vote in favour, marking a two-percentage-point increase compared to last year, while 32% would vote against, a figure that has remained stable. At the same time, the EU continues to be widely recognised as Serbia’s largest donor, main trading partner and leading source of investment, confirming its central role in the country’s economic development.

As in previous years, support for EU membership is strongest among younger generations. Citizens aged 18–29 remain the most supportive, with over 63% in favour of Serbia joining the EU, while opposition is highest among respondents aged 60 and above, where support stands at around 30%. These findings underline a clear generational divide, with young people increasingly seeing their future in the European Union.

When asked about the benefits of EU membership, citizens most frequently associate the EU with higher living standards, freedom of movement, the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Corruption, organised crime and economic challenges are simultaneously identified as the three most pressing problems facing Serbian society today — areas where EU membership and reforms linked to the accession process offer concrete and long-term solutions.

Looking at trends over the past seven years, this poll also records the highest share of respondents to date who believe that the EU will continue to exist and expand with new EU Member States, reflecting Serbian citizens’ growing confidence in the Union’s future and the credibility of the enlargement process.

At the same time, negative perceptions persist. A significant number of respondents believe that the EU is increasingly imposing pressure and new conditions on Serbia, that recognition of Kosovo is a precondition for accession, or that the EU does not genuinely want Serbia as a future EU Member State. Together, these narratives remain the most frequently cited arguments among EU-sceptical citizens. The poll also reveals a high exposure to disinformation and information manipulation, particularly regarding Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Commenting on the findings, the EU Ambassador to Serbia Andreas von Beckerath stated:

“These results provide grounds for cautious optimism, but they leave no room for complacency. A growing number of citizens clearly recognise that EU membership offers what they care most about: better economic opportunities, stronger institutions, greater freedoms and the protection of rights. This shows that people understand that Serbia’s accession to the EU is not an abstract political project, but the most concrete way towards a better everyday life.

I am especially encouraged by the strong and consistent support among young people, who overwhelmingly see the EU as their natural home. At the same time, the poll highlights how persistent misconceptions and disinformation continue to distort public debate about the EU. The scale of this problem is worrying for a country negotiating EU membership.

Addressing this cannot be the EU’s task alone. Serbian institutions and public officials have a responsibility to communicate facts more proactively, objectively and honestly. The current enlargement momentum is real, the door is open, and the opportunity is there to be seized by accelerating reforms. Given the tangible benefits that EU membership provides to Serbian citizens, which they increasingly recognise, public support would undoubtedly be even higher if communication by the authorities and much of the mainstream media were more balanced and factual. We want to see Serbia move forward and take its rightful place within the EU.”

The opinion poll was conducted by the Ninamedia agency between 24 December 2025 and 11 January 2026, using a face-to-face survey method on a representative sample of 1,501 respondents.