EU Survey: 71% of Georgians Back EU Membership, But Positive Image of Bloc Drops to Lowest in a Decade
By Messenger Staff
Monday, June 22, 2026
A new EU-commissioned survey of Georgian public opinion shows continued majority support for EU accession alongside a sharp fall in positive attitudes toward the bloc, the lowest recorded since 2016.
The annual survey, conducted by EU Neighbours East in late January and February 2026 with 1,002 respondents, found that 71% of Georgians support EU membership, virtually unchanged from 2025. However, positive views of the EU itself dropped to 40%, down from 50% the previous year and the lowest figure in the survey's ten-year history. Neutral responses climbed to 50%, while outright negative views remain low at 8%.
Trust in the EU stands at 66%, broadly stable but down from a peak of 83% in 2021. By comparison, trust in Russia sits at just 12%.
Only 30% of respondents said they feel well or very well informed about the EU, and just 18% said the same about Georgia's accession process, a figure that fell from the previous year. Exposure to EU-related information also declined, with 45% of citizens saying they had read, seen, or heard something about the EU in the past three months, down from 54% in 2025.
On the domestic front, unemployment topped the list of pressing concerns at 69%, followed by poverty at 58% and low salaries or pensions at 57%. Healthcare, education, and corruption rounded out the top six.
When asked what benefits EU membership would bring, respondents most often cited peace and security (47%), a better future for children (47%), and improved education opportunities (44%). The top concern about accession was youth drain and emigration, cited by 35% of respondents, reflecting anxiety that integration could accelerate the departure of young Georgians rather than anchor them at home.
Asked about the main obstacles to accession, 34% pointed to a lack of political will inside Georgia, the single most cited barrier, well ahead of unresolved territorial disputes (13%), failure to meet EU standards (13%), and rule of law deficiencies (12%).
On whether Georgia is moving in the right direction to join the EU, only 32% said yes, down from 35% in 2025. And 56% said proposed laws affecting civil society organisations and the media would negatively impact Georgia's accession path, up from 50% a year earlier.
Views on the timeline for membership are split: 27% believe Georgia could join within five years, 24% expect it to take between five and fifteen years, and 12% said Georgia will never become a member.
The EU is seen as the largest financial contributor to Georgia by 24% of respondents, ahead of the United States at 18% and China at 16%. Only 48% consider EU financial support effective or very effective. Education, economic development, and healthcare were identified as the top three areas where respondents want more EU engagement.
On media coverage, 28% said traditional outlets presented the EU positively, while 27% said the same of social media. Social media has overtaken television as the most used daily information source, with 66% of respondents citing it, compared to 61% for TV.
Institutional trust within Georgia remains low across the board. The military is the most trusted domestic institution at 78%, while political parties are trusted by just 21% of respondents. The government, parliament, and judicial system all sit below 42%.
