INSCOP survey: Most Romanians believe country needs to move towards West in terms of alliances

The majority of Romanians (81%) consider that the direction towards which the country should move in terms of political and military alliances is the West, that is the EU, USA, NATO, according to an INSCOP survey sent to AGERPRES on Monday. The survey reveals that 10.4% of respondents believe that Romania should go, in terms of political and military alliances, to the East, i.e. Russia, China, and 8.6% do not know or did not respond to this question. The survey also shows that 61.4% of Romanians believe that Romania's accession to the EU has rather brought advantages, 35.2% - rather disadvantages, and 3.4% do not know or did not answer. The majority of respondents (64.2%) answered that Romania must defend its national interests when they disagree with the rules of the European Union, even if it risks losing its position as an EU member state. 31.9% indicated that Romania, as a member state, must comply with EU rules, even when its national interests are affected, and 3.9% do not know or did not respond. Also, the majority of Romanians (77.5%) believe that the EU should not fall apart in the coming years, while 16% consider the opposite, and 6.5% do not know or did not answer. According to the survey, 66.6% of respondents believe that in the event of aggression, NATO will defend Romania, 29.3% that Romania will have to defend itself, and 4% do not know or did not answer. The existence of American military bases in Romania would help to defend the country in case of an external aggression consider 75.4% of the respondents, 20% do not agree, and 4.6% do not know or did not answer. According to the survey, 71.3% of those interviewed are of the opinion that the USA has a rather positive influence on Romania, 16.9% that Russia has a rather positive influence on the country, and 11.8% do not know or did not answer. The majority of Romanians (61.7%) consider that Russia did more harm to Romania, 19.1% more good, and 19.1% do not know or did not answer, the study also reveals. In the opinion of 55.8% of the respondents, over time, Western countries have done more good to Romania, 32.1% that they have done more harm, and 12.1% do not know or did not answer. Regarding the attitude of the West versus Russia, 55.8% of Romanians believe that Western countries did more good for Romania, and 19.1% that Russia did more good. Also, 32.1% said that Western countries did more harm, and 61.7% said that Russia did more harm, and the rest did not know or did not respond. The survey "Public distrust: West versus East, the rise of the nationalist current in the era of misinformation and the phenomenon of fake news" was conducted nationwide by INSCOP Research, in partnership with Verifield, from March 1 to 12, on a sample of 1,100 respondents. The error margin of the survey conducted by telephone interviews is +/- 2.95%. The research project is initiated and coordinated by the Strategic thinking group within a research project supported by The German Marshal Fund of the United States and funded by the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation through True Story Project. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi; editor: Adina Panaitescu)