In Croatia, 57% of adults are interested in the European elections, which will be held on 6-9 June throughout the European Union, and this percentage of interest in the forthcoming polls is identical to the EU average, show findings of the latest Eurobarometer survey.

The findings were presented by the Office of the European Parliament in Zagreb on Wednesday.

The number of Croatians interested in the EP elections has significantly risen since 2019, when 46% of those polled expressed interest in the EP polls that year.

Broken down by political affiliation, voters on the right side of the political spectrum seem more keen about the polls (63%) than those on the left side (56%) and those in the centre (57%).

The survey was conducted among 26,253 respondents in the EU, including 1,033 in Croatia, from 25 September to 15 October.

8 in 10 Croats see benefits of EU membership

In Croatia, 79% of those 1,033 respondents say they can see benefits of the membership of the Union, while in the entire Union, 72% of the respondents say they can see benefits.

Three-quarters of Croats optimistic about EU future

As many as 73% of the Croatian respondents are optimistic about the future of the EU, as against the 60% average in the EU.

Only in France, the percentage of pessimists is higher than that of optimists (49% to 46%).

As many as 57% of Croatians believe that the membership of the EU is a good thing for their country, while EU average is 61%.

Also 11% of the respondents in Croatia believe that admission to the EU was a bad thing, and 32% were neutral on this topic.

Fifty-nine percent of the Croatian respondents want the European Union to play a more important role, while the EU average is 53%.

Topics which should be dealt by the EP vary among respondents, depending on which country they come from.

In Croatia, 45% of the respondents cite the fight against poverty and social exclusion and 44% support to the economy and job creation as top priorities.

For instance, 58% of Swedes believe that climate change should be the top priority, and respondents in Finland cite defence and security as the top priority.

Considering further enlargement, 68% of Croats are in favour as against the 53% average at the EU level.