Skopje, 13 August 2021 (MIA) – 58% of citizens in North Macedonia view democracy as the preferred system of government but 72% embrace positive views of both democratic governance and “strong-hand” leadership, show the results of a public opinion research conducted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) on democracy, COVID-19, geopolitics and disinformation. Survey results show that even though citizens believe in democracy, they are still skeptical that foundational principles such as equality under the law are achievable. A slight majority in North Macedonia (52%) see regression in democracy, while 64% believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction. 56% percent of respondents prioritize quality of life over democratic standards and economy/job prospects (37%) plus healthcare/COVID-19 (21%) remain top concerns for survey respondents. On COVID-19, citizens’ surveyed remain personally concerned about COVID-19. A significant majority of the respondents are “a lot” worried about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government receives poor marks on COVID-19 restriction policies and communications, although government COVID-19 data is trusted. Moreover, they also showed  lack of trust in the judiciary (67%) and the public prosecutor (63%). "Citizens lack trust in politicians with 53% of respondents expressing they trust ‘no one’ and look for leadership to grow the economy, and improve healthcare” said Robert Scott Heaslet, NDI’s North Macedonia Director, adding, “concerns about political impunity and lagging EU accession contribute to the poor perceptions about the country’s prospects and democratic capacities.” The poll showed that support for the European Union has weakened in North Macedonia. Although 67 percent of respondents signaled they would vote for EU membership, perceptions about the EU are strained, with 19% signaling they oppose EU membership - up from 10% in 2018. Support for the NATO alliance remains strong at 63% (64% in 2018), while opposition to the military alliance has grown to 24%, a nine percent increase from 2018. Across the board, Turkey, Russia, United States and China increased favorability among respondents up from 2018 favorability ratings. Turkey and Russia have the highest favorability rises, presently at 52% and 48% respectively, up from 42% and 32%. Favorability ratings of the United States (43%) and China (38%) are lower. 87% of citizens’ surveyed believe there is disinformation in the media. Although 68% of those surveyed find social media somewhat trusted, and there is a reliance on friends, family, and colleagues for information. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are predominantly the preferred platforms for information, but respondents prefer to discuss politics and news in-person rather than online. The research was commissioned by NDI and fielded in North Macedonia by Ipsos in March-April 2021 with a representative sample (n=2410) and a margin of error +/-2% through CAPI and CAWI telephone and online interviews. The research was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.