INSCOP Survey: Most people back Romania's orientation to the West (EU, USA,NATO)

78.9% of Romanians indicated the West (EU, USA, NATO), while 7.8% chose the East (Russia, China), while 13.3% did not know or would not answer, when asked what they think should be the direction adopted by Romania in point of political and military alliances, according to an opinion poll made by INSCOP Research.   INSCOP Research made, over August 4-10, 2025 an opinion poll about the people's perception on two major topics of public interest: Romania's foreign policy directions and digitization of public services, upon the order of Polithink.   According to the poll, especially PNL and USR voters, people over 60 with high incomes consider that Romania should go to the west, in point of political and military alliances (EU, USA, NATO).   As for being part of EU, 83.3% of people interviewed evaluate Romania's being part of EU as positive ( Romania should remain a EU member state), while 12.4% consider it negative ( Romania should get out of EU). 4.3% did not answer. PNL and USR voters, people with higher education and high incomes, evaluate positively that Romania is part of EU.   83.7% of respondents evaluate Romania being part of NATO as a positive one (Romania should be part of NATO), while 11.7% consider it negative ( Romania should get out of NATO). 4.6% did not know or would not answer.   Romania's being part of NATO is evaluated positively especially by USR voters, people over 60 with higher education living in Bucharest.   Asked to what extent they agree or not with the idea: “Romania must defend its national interests when they agree or disagree with EU rules, even if they risk to reduce their benefits or interests associated to the quality of members”, 84.6% of people interviewed agree, while 13.1% disagree and 2.3% do not know or would not answer.   People aged over 60 and those with low incomes, PSD and AUR voters agree with the affirmation. AUR voters, young people under 30, people with higher education, people living in Bucharest and those with high incomes agree with the idea.   Asked to what extent they agree or not with the idea: “Romania should defend it national interests when they do not agree with EU rules, even if they risk to reduce their benefits or interest associated to the quality of member,”84.5% of people interviewed agree, while 13.1% disagree, 2.3% do not know or would not answer.   People over 60 and those with low incomes who voted PSD and AUR, agree with the assertion. Those who disagree are AUR voters, aged under 30, with higher education, live in Bucharest and have high incomes.   At the same time, 65.7% of Romanians agree with the idea: “The power of decision of EU member states should grow, while the power of EC, European Parliament should be reduced,” while 24.4% disagree and 9.9% do not know or should not answer.   AUR voters agree with the statement. USR voters, people with higher education, living in Bucharest and have high incomes disagree.   88% of respondents agree with the idea: “Romania should play a more active role in the international stage,” while 9% disagree. 2.9% do not know or would not answer. Last but not least, 38.1% of Romanians consider that Romania being a EU member limits national independence too much, while 52.4% disagree. 9.5% had negative answers.   PSD and AUR voters, people aged between 45 and 59 and state employees consider that Romania being a EU member limits national independence too much. PNL and USR voters, with higher education, living in Bucharest and having low incomes consider that Romania's being part of EU does not limit national independence too much.   As for the use of online public services, 43.7% of Romanians have used an online public service, while 56.1% say they have never used such a service. 0.2% do not know or would not answer.   PNL and USR voters, aged between 18 and 44, with higher education, living in Bucharest and big cities, with high incomes declare that the rest of people have used an online public service at a certain moment.   Asked which of the following reasons woukd determine them to use online public services, 22% of people who ever used such services indicated avoiding crowds in front of offices, 11.4% mentioned the quickness of solving requests, while 11.2% showed the flexibility of access at any time.   Then there is cost reduction, mentioned by 9.5%, the simplicity of use by 7.3%, and the possibility to follow the stage of requests indicated by 6.3%, while 2.8% mentioned step by step guides (clear, digital instructions), while 17,4% declare they have not used online services, preferring diresct cntact with an employee. 0.6% do not know or would not answer.   Asked what prevents the digitization of public services in Romania, 45.7% of respondents show the lack people's digital education,32.8% the lack of political will, 15.5% the lack of financial resources. 4.6% do not know, 1% say it is something else and 0.5% would not answer.   Women, state employees and people living in small urban areas think that the people's lack of digital education prevents the digitization of public services. Especially USR male voters, aged between 30 and 44 years, with higher education and high incomes, living in Bucharest, consider that the lack of political will is an obstacle.   Asked which of the following fields should be a priority in the digitization of public administration in Romania, 49.3% of respondents indicated health, 29.9% education, while 22.6% indicated he relation with city hall.   Then there are fiscal services and taxes with 20.9%. social assistance and pensions with 15.2% and people's evidence with 14.3%. 0.8% of respondents mentioned another domain while 5.2% said they did not or would not answer.   “Most people show their orientation to the west (EU, USA, NATO), which reflects a stable anchorage in the euroatlantic area, seen as a warrant of national security and prosperity. At the same time, the critical attitude on the report concerning belonging to EU and defending national interests show the emergence of a dual political culture, in which integration and sovereignty are seen as neccessities and sources of tension. Also, about half of respondents used online public services, while most consider digitization would reduce beaureaucracy, which shows a strong social expectation for administration modernization . The relatively low level of online public services, correlated with the positive perception of their potential in reducing beaureaucracy indicate a difference between the citizens' needs and institutional offer. The main obstacles identified - lack of digitial education and will indicate the fact that the process of digitial transformation does not depend only on technology, but also on investing in human capital and political leadership,” said Remus Stefureac, INSCOP Research manager.   Data were collected through CATI method (phone interviews), simple sample volume, of 1107 people, representative for significant socio-demographic categories (sex,age, occupation) for Romania's non-institutionalised population, aged over 18. The maximum admitted data error is +/- 2.95%, with a confidence degree of 95%.