Austrians Reject EU Enlargement to the Balkans, But Welcome the North
A new opinion poll has revealed a striking divide in how Austrians view the future expansion of the European Union. While support for membership among countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe remains low, many Austrians appear surprisingly open to the idea of welcoming nations from the north, including Norway, Iceland, and even Greenland.
According to the survey, conducted by the Austrian Society for European Policy (ÖGfE), 62 percent of respondents said they would welcome Norway into the EU. Iceland also received strong support, with 57 percent in favor, while 49 percent backed the idea of Greenland joining the bloc. By contrast, support for existing candidate countries from the Balkans and Eastern Europe remains significantly weaker.
The findings come at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, as Europe continues to reassess its strategic position amid shifting global alliances and renewed tensions across the Atlantic. Paul Schmidt, Secretary General of the ÖGfE, said the idea of a northern expansion has gained fresh relevance in today’s political climate. He noted that countries such as Norway and Iceland are seen as stable, prosperous, and politically aligned with the European Union, making them attractive candidates in the eyes of many Austrians.
The renewed discussion is also being shaped by developments in the north. Iceland, which once applied for EU membership after the 2008 financial crisis before later abandoning its bid, is now considering a national referendum on whether to reopen formal accession talks. In Norway, where voters rejected EU membership in both 1972 and 1994, political leaders have recently called for a new national debate.
Greenland, though no longer part of the EU since leaving the European Community in 1985, has also returned to the center of international attention because of rising geopolitical tensions and its growing strategic importance in the Arctic.
The contrast becomes even sharper when compared with attitudes toward the EU’s current candidate countries. Earlier polling showed only limited support among Austrians for countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, and Albania, with approval ratings mostly below 25 percent.
The latest survey was conducted online between March 23 and 24 among 1,000 people across Austria aged 16 to 80, with a margin of error of 3.16 percent. The results suggest that while Austrians remain cautious about expansion to the east and southeast, they may be far more willing to imagine the EU growing toward the north.
