Support for NATO membership in Finland rises to 62 per cent
PUBLIC SUPPORT NATO membership has continued to increase in Finland since the presidential invasion of Ukraine Vladimir Putinis Russia.
YLE on Monday was revealed 9-11 According to a March survey, support for membership has risen from 53% to 62% in the first two weeks of the war in Ukraine. Opposition to membership, on the other hand, has fallen from 28% to 16% since the first days of the 19-day war.
Public service broadcaster surveyed public views on membership earlier on 23-25. February.
The war has caused a significant change in public views on defense and security policy in Finland. Support for NATO membership had been about 25 percent for decades before the attack.
According to YLE, there has been a significant change in women’s views, for example. The proportion of female respondents in favor of joining the Defense Alliance rose from 41% to 53% in the two weeks before 11 March, while the proportion of female respondents opposed to joining fell from 31% to 18%. Proponents of the Center Party and the Left Alliance have similarly regrouped specifically to support membership, albeit only narrowly in the case of the latter party.
– Voters from the Left Alliance have clearly opposed NATO membership, says Jari Pajunen, CEO of Taloustutkimus.
YLE also said on Monday that support for membership would rise to 74 per cent if the Finnish political leadership expresses its support for it, and to 77 per cent if Sweden applies for NATO.
Many Finnish decision-makers have suggested that the decision be preceded by a consultative referendum, but according to a survey, less than a quarter (24%) of citizens consider a referendum necessary. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents said the referendum was unnecessary.
At the end of February, 41 per cent of respondents were in favor and 48 per cent opposed holding a referendum.
The online survey for economic research was answered on 9-11 November. March a total of 1,378 people. The margin of error for the results is +/- 2.5 percentage points.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT