Local elite perceptions on the EUs agenda to promote regional cooperation in Central Asia

Mukasheva Z. Temirov A. Akhmedyanova D.
2025 Routledge

European Politics and Society
2025 #26 Issue 4 979 - 1004 pp.

The 2019 European Union’s (EU) renewed Strategy for Central Asia prioritizes closer regional cooperation among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This study aims to examine the perspectives of intermediate elites in Central Asian countries on the EUs role in the region, exploring potential differences in their views on various aspects of the EU regional cooperation promotion agenda. It also seeks to identify the areas where these elites perceive the EUs efforts to promote regional cooperation as most influential. The questions are addressed through the results of online survey conducted among local policy analytics experts, diplomats, and journalists. The research findings indicate that as well as there is a general positive attitude towards EU, a local skepticism regarding EU geopolitical motivations and strategic coherence persists. Furthermore,the EUs potential positive effect on fostering regional cooperation in Central Asia, acknowledged by local elites, is in the domains of education and economic and environmental cooperation as well as there is a general perception on the EU democracy promotion. This article arguesthe EUs ability to effectively advance regional cooperation in Central Asia is contingent upon strategically prioritizing key areas of engagement appreciated by local elites.

Central Asian elite opinion on EU , EU regionalism promotion , European normative power in Central Asia‌ , local perception of European norms

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International Relations Department, L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
MA in Latin American Studies, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France
Department of International Relations, L.N. Gumilyov ENU, Astana, Kazakhstan

International Relations Department
MA in Latin American Studies
Department of International Relations

10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель

Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026