Austrians are growing more attached to the European Union, but they remain deeply reluctant to see it expand. A new survey by the Austrian Society for European Politics (ÖGfE) paints a country that values the security of EU membership, yet hesitates at the thought of opening its doors to new members, reported by Austrian Press Agency.
In the autumn poll, 68 per cent of respondents said Austria should stay in the EU, while 25 per cent favoured leaving. Support for membership has risen by nine percentage points since April 2025, while opposition has fallen by five. Since Austria joined the Union in 1995, an average of about 70 per cent of Austrians have backed membership.
Paul Schmidt, the society’s secretary general, said people increasingly recognise what the EU provides: stability, legal certainty and predictability. He argued that these qualities can no longer be taken for granted in an unsettled world. He also pointed to closer ties between the EU and countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom as evidence that the Union is viewed abroad as a dependable partner.
But enlargement is another matter. Around six in ten Austrians oppose admitting new countries within the next five years, while only 28 per cent support it. Schmidt said the figures confirm a broadly sceptical public attitude and urged more information and dialogue about the issue.
Views on deeper European cooperation are also divided. Thirty eight per cent want closer integration, 21 per cent consider the current level appropriate, and one third want less cooperation; a rise of six percentage points since April 2025. Schmidt linked this shift to domestic political debates that often call for rolling back EU integration.
The survey also reveals concern about Russia. Fifty eight per cent of respondents believe Moscow deliberately seeks to destabilise the EU and its member states through disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage or election interference. Nearly one in five doubts this, while 15 per cent are undecided.
On relations with Washington, opinion is strikingly clear; 79 per cent believe the EU should stand up more firmly to the United States in disputes.
The poll also exposes a sharp political divide. A majority of FPÖ supporters, 56 per cent, favour leaving the EU, while nine in ten oppose near-term enlargement and three-quarters reject deeper cooperation. Yet on one point, almost all political camps agree: Austria and the EU should be more assertive towards Washington.
The survey was conducted by the market institute between September 21 and 24, with 1,000 people aged 16 to 80 surveyed online across Austria. The margin of error is 3.16 percentage points.
