The support of the citizens of Montenegro for the country's membership in the European Union reached a record high level of 79.3%, according to a survey commissioned by the EU Delegation to Montenegro and conducted by the De Facto agency in May 2023. This accounts for a 1.5 percentage point increase in membership support compared to the survey conducted in November last year.
 

"We are glad that the Montenegrin citizens’ support for the country's EU membership is at such a high level. With their unwavering pro-European attitude, the citizens of Montenegro are sending a clear message that they want a future in the EU for their country. The local political actors need to find a way to work together in the public interest and above party lines, to implement key reforms and enable this long-standing wish of the vast majority of Montenegrin citizens to become a reality," said EU Ambassador to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa.

The survey, which was conducted on a sample of 1,200 respondents in the period from 9 to 23 May, showed that more than half of Montenegrin citizens perceive the European Union as the biggest donor in the country.

75.9% of citizens believe that Montenegro will become a member of the EU, and the number of those who would vote in a hypothetical referendum on EU membership is growing. Over 90% of citizens would vote in the referendum, and 81.1% of those voting would support Montenegro's membership in the EU. A significant number of respondents, 48.1%,  however, believe that the country is not moving fast enough towards membership.

Nevertheless, the optimism of Montenegrin citizens when it comes to the country's general course appears to be growing. 67.4% of citizens believe that the country is moving in the right direction, which is 20 percentage points more than in the survey conducted in November last year. Citizens identify the economic situation, corruption and unemployment as the biggest social issues.