Romanians want the country to better negotiate their interests in the EU. They also say that the internal choices are influenced by other states, an Inscop survey shows

Romanians, for the most part, see the advantages of investments in Romania, will massively in the European Union and NATO (almost 90%), but instead want the country to negotiate their interests in the EU, shows the results of the latest sociological study Inscop Research, “the population attitude on economic patriotism and the vulnerabilities of the democratic regime”. On the other hand, the state -owned companies begin and appreciate, provided they are conducted correctly and I do not think that Romania has full control over its economic or political decisions.

The study is carried out at the command of the Concordia Patronal Confederation, was presented on Thursday, April 10 by the director of INSCO, Remus Ștefurreac, during an event attended by Dragoș Anastasiu- the honorary adviser of the interim president and Cristian Popa, member of the BNR

“The sociological research, the largest of this type carried out in recent years, dismantles a series of false stories inserted in the public debate of populist and extremist voices, such as the fact that Romanians would reject foreign investments, that they have become anti-European or that economic patriotism is reduced to the Romanian CNP of the one who creates plus-Value in the Romanian economy”

Also, the democratic regime and the rule of law are vulnerable given that Romanians believe that laws are not applied for all, and the elections are influenced by other states. Finally, in the current security context, Romanians (over 75%) strongly support the increase of defense expenses, the results of the sociological study also show.

Radu Burnete, Executive Director, Concordia Employers Confederation: “We need an authentic pact between the business environment, society and state; an agreement based on trust and support a coherent and balanced growth. The study shows that Romanians look at companies as a stability and progress engine.

See here the full study.

Methodology: The survey was conducted by Inscop Research at the command of the Concordia Patron Confederation. The data were collected between March 13 and 17, 2025. Research method: Sociological investigation through the questionnaire. The data were collected by the CATI method (telephone interviews), the volume of the stratified multi-systemic sample being 1000 persons, representative on the significant socio-demographic categories (sex, age, occupation) for the uninstitutionalized population of Romania, aged 18 years and over. The maximum allowed error of the data is ± 3.1 %, to a degree of 95 %.

The direction of the country

60.9% of Romanians believe that things in Romania are heading in the wrong direction, while 28% think they are going in a good direction, and 11.1% do not know or do not answer.

Belonging to the EU and NATO

89.7% of Romanians believe that it is in the national interest that Romania will remain in the EU and NATO, while 6.4% are of the opposite opinion. The share of non-response is 3.9%.

EU membership and national sovereignty

40.6% of those questioned believe that Romania's belonging to the European Union limits the national sovereignty too much, while 51.6% are of the opposite opinion. 7.8% do not know or do not answer.

Protecting economic interests in the EU

80.7% of Romanians believe that in order to protect their economic interests, Romania should negotiate more favorable conditions within the European Union, 10% do nothing, because economic and national interests are protected. Only 4.8% I think Romania should leave the European Union. The share of non-response is 4.5%.

Foreign investment level in Romania

Ask how it considers that it is the level of foreign investments in Romania compared to the countries of the European Union, 8.4% of the survey participants believe that it is much higher, 9.3% higher, 26.3% lower, 24.4% much lower, and 21.3% about the same. 10.2% do not know or do not answer.

Increasing foreign investments in Romania

67.9% of Romanians would like foreign investments in Romania to grow, 14.8% would like to decrease, and 14.5% will remain the same. The share of non-response is 2.8%.

The opinion about the multinational companies that invest in Romania

71.1% of respondents have a good opinion generally about multinational companies investing in Romania, while 24.6% have a bad opinion. 4.3% do not know or do not answer.

The opinion about EU companies that invest in Romania

73.6% of respondents have a good opinion generally about EU companies investing in Romania, while 18.3% have a bad opinion. The share of non-response is 8.1%.

The opinion about the Romanian companies that invest in other countries

61.5% of those questioned have a good opinion about the Romanian companies that invest in other countries, while 29.6% have a bad opinion. 8.9% do not know or do not answer.

They have a good opinion about Romanian companies invest in other countries, especially people with higher education and people with high and very high incomes, while bad opinion is especially found among people with primary studies and people with very low incomes.

The opinion about the Romanian companies that extend to the EU

They have a good opinion about the Romanian companies that extend to the EU 82.1% of those interviewed, while 12% have a bad opinion. The share of non-response is 5.9%.

Preferential rules for supporting Romanian companies

49.7% of the respondents agree with the statement “The Government of Romania should promote the same rules for Romanian companies and for foreign companies.” 46.4% expresses its agreement with the statement “The Government of Romania should promote preferential rules for the support of Romanian companies, even if this would discourage the investments of foreign/multinational companies.” 3.9% do not know or do not answer.

I believe that the Government of Romania should promote preferential rules for the support of Romanian companies, even if this would discourage the investments of foreign/multinational companies, especially people between the ages of 30 and 44 and the state employees. He considers that the Government of Romania should promote the same rules for Romanian companies and for foreign companies as well as the residents of the Capital and people with very high incomes

More state -owned companies vs more private companies

56.2% believe that Romania would have to win if there were several state companies on the domestic market. At the opposite end, 38.7% I think Romania would have to win if there were several private companies on the domestic market. The share of non-response is 5.1%.

I believe that Romania would have to win if there were several state -owned companies on the domestic market, especially people with very low primary studies and revenues. I share the contrary opinion especially the people with higher education and people with very high incomes

Risk withdrawal of foreign companies

62.9% of Romanians believe that there is a risk that some foreign/multinational companies will leave Romania in the next period. 30.6% I think there is no risk, 6.2% do not know/ cannot appreciate, and 0.3% do not answer this question.

Assessment Presence Foreign Companies

53.1% of those interviewed believe that Romania would have to lose if there were few foreign/multinational companies on the domestic market. 39.6% believe that Romania would have to win in such a scenario, and 7.3% do not know or do not answer.

I believe that Romania would have to lose if there were few foreign/multinational companies on the domestic market, especially people between 45 and 59, people with higher education and people with high and very high incomes. I share the contrary opinion especially the people with primary studies and people with low and very low incomes.

Conditions Romanian company

In the opinion of 30.5% of the respondents, the most important condition for a company to be considered a Romanian campaign is for that company to pay its taxes in Romania. The condition that most employees are Romanian is the most important for 20.5% of those interviewed. 18.3% mention to have Romanian shareholders/ owners, 16.9% the brand/ brand to be Romanian, and 9.1% to have the headquarters in Romania. 2.1% indicates another condition, 2.5% do not know / cannot appreciate, and 0.1% do not answer.

Supporting foreign companies paying taxes and taxes in Romania

In the opinion of 77.8% of those interviewed, it is in the national interest of Romania for the state to support foreign companies that pay taxes and taxes in Romania. 20.0% are of the opposite opinion, and 2.2% do not know or do not answer.

Supporting Romanian companies wishing to invest abroad

61% of those interviewed believe that it is in the national interest of Romania for the state to support the Romanian companies that want to invest abroad. 35.4% are of the opposite opinion, and 3.6% do not know or do not answer.

Supporting foreign companies that collaborate closely with Romanian companies

79.5% of the respondents consider that it is in the national interest of Romania for the state to support the foreign companies that collaborate closely with the Romanian companies. 17.5% are of the opposite opinion, and 3% do not know or do not answer.

Supporting Romanian companies that want to purchase foreign companies in Romania

77.2% of Romanians consider that it is in the national interest of Romania for the Romanian state to support the Romanian companies that want to purchase foreign companies in Romania. 19% are of opposite opinion, and 3.8% do not know or do not answer.

Control over political decisions

15.8% of Romanians believe that “Romania has full control over its political decisions” to a large extent, 25.8% to a large extent, 24.4% to quite a small extent and 29.5% to a very small extent or not at all. 4.5% do not know or do not answer.

Control over economic decisions

11.3% of Romanians believe that “Romania has full control over its economic decisions” to a large extent, 23.9% to a large extent, 29% to quite a small extent and 29.9% to a very small extent or not at all. 5.9% do not know or do not answer.

The equal application of the law

12.6% of Romanians believe that “the law is applied equally for all citizens” to a large extent, 17.2% to a large extent, 25.9% to quite a small extent and 42.6% to a very small extent or not at all. 1.7% do not know or do not answer.

Popular will in presidential elections

40.9% of Romanians believe that “the election of the president depends only on the vote of the citizens” to a large extent, 24.6% to a large extent, 12.6% to quite a small extent and 19.6% to a very small extent or not at all. 2.3% do not know or do not answer.

Influence of presidential elections by other states

32.6% of Romanians believe that “the election of the president is strongly influenced by the hostile actions of other states” to a large extent, 28.5% to a large extent, 17.1% to quite a small extent and 18.1% to a very small extent or not at all. 3.7% do not know or do not answer.

The biggest problem of Romania

Ask what is at this moment the biggest problem of Romania, 44% of the respondents chose the “corruption that amplifies the injustices in society”, 21.8% “political instability and its effects on the good governance”, 17.2% “the precarious state of democracy that limits the freedom of people to choose the president”, and 15% “. 1.9% do not know or do not answer.

Increasing Romania's defense expenses

In the context in which lately, Europe is discussed that Europe will reduce its military addiction to the US and NATO by increasing defense expenses, respondents have been asked if they would agree with such a perspective for Romania to defend their sovereignty in the event of military aggression. 76.2% support such an increase in defense expenses, while 21.1% oppose, and 2.7% do not know or do not answer.

The effect of withdrawal of NATO troops on the security of Romania

77.1% of Romanians believe that withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe would affect the national security of Romania, while 20.3% share the contrary opinion and 2.6% do not know or do not respond.

See here the full study.