Opinion poll shows twice as many Belarusians have a positive image of the EU than negative 

A third of Belarusians have a positive image of the European Union, according to the 2023 annual survey of opinion in Belarus, compared to only 16% who have a negative image.

The survey also found that just over half (51%) of Belarusian citizens know very or rather well what the EU is all about, and that 80% of those who have heard about the EU are interested in knowing more, especially about its relations with Belarus (49%).

The latest survey was conducted in February 2023 and involved an online panel survey with a representative sample of 1,000 people across the country. The opinion polls have been carried out annually by the EU NEIGHBOURS EAST programme in Belarus and the five other countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood region since 2016.

The values that respondents most associated with the EU were education (61%), environmental protection (60%), freedom of movement (58%), and gender equality (57%).

While Belarusians generally display low levels of trust towards international institutions, the EU is the most trusted (38%), together with the Eurasian Economic Union (38%), the survey found. 
Forty-two per cent of those asked felt their country had bad relations with the EU, though 61% would like the EU to play a greater role in supporting economic development and trade, and just over one in four (27%) would favour more EU support for democracy.

Find out more

Belarus annual survey 2023 – factsheet and country report