Brussels, 19/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - A slender majority of European citizens polled in a recent Eurobarometer poll (May 2005) published by the European Commission on Monday back the idea of Turkey joining the EU.
Turkey's unpopularity reaches record levels in Austria, where 80% oppose Turkey's entry to the EU, 24% more than at the time of the previous Eurobarometer survey in autumn 2002. Germany does not lag far behind, with 74% of the population rejecting Turkey (up 20% on the previous survey). 70% of French and Greek citizens reject Turkey. Leaving aside Turkish citizens' support for their country joining the EU (73%) and Turkish Cypriot inhabitants' views (82% in favour), more citizens support the idea of Turkey joining the EU than those who oppose it in only ten Member States (the UK, Sweden, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary and Malta). Only in three countries do more than 50% of those polled back Turkey's candidacy, namely Poland (54%), Slovenia (53%) and Hungary (51%). On average, almost half (48%) of citizens in the ten new Member States want to see Turkey joining the EU, but this falls to an average of 32% in the 15 old Member States.
Asked about their views on the potential accession of a dozen countries to the EU, European citizens put Turkey last (least popular), behind Albania (50% in favour, 36% against); Serbia Montenegro (44% against, 40% in favour); or Macedonia (41% against, 43% in favour). Only one candidate country, Croatia, achieved a score of more than 50% of those polled (52% in fact) wanting it to join the EU. The two countries currently in the process of joining the EU, are generally supported (50% in favour and 36% against for Bulgaria and 45% in favour and 41% against for Romania). Ukraine got the same score as Romania. The three most popular countries, Switzerland (78% in favour), Norway (78% in favour) and Iceland (70% in favour) have not applied to join the EU.
Romanians (66%), Turks (61%) and Bulgarians (60%) approve of the European Union, unlike Croatians (only 28%).