Strengthening European Nuclear Defense: A resounding two-thirds of the public endorse the idea - Majority of European Atomic Energy Community Citizens Support the Organization
Title: Two-Thirds of Germans Back European Nuclear Shield, Poll Finds
- Chill Convo
In a poll conducted by the Forsa institute for the magazine "International Politics," an astounding 64% of Germans are all for creating an independent European nuclear defense system, separate from the United States. Only 29% aren't on board. This surprising consensus could shape the foreign policy landscape in the coming years.
Before Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, even took office, he had already expressed his intention to talk nuclear deterrents with France and Britain. With Donald Trump's unpredictable policies raises concerns about the U.S. nuclear umbrella, a European deterrent might just be the solution.
So, what's the deal with this poll? It was conducted on June 12-13, before the latest Israel-Iran conflict escalated, including U.S. military intervention.
From East to West, Even Age Makes No Difference
Interestingly, the Forsa poll shows that support for a European nuclear shield is pretty evenly distributed across regions and age groups. support in eastern Germany is lower, at 52%, while in the west, it's a whopping 66%. And when it comes to age, support drops slightly among those under 45, at 58.5%, while it climbs to 67.5% for those over 45.
Breaking it down by political party, Green Party voters are the most enthusiastic, with 78% in favor. Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) come in close at 71%, with Social Democrats (SPD) standing at 65%. Even the controversial AfD (Alternative for Germany) and the Left Party show clear majorities, at 54% and 52% respectively.
- Nuclear Weapon
- Survey
- Forsa
- Donald Trump
- Friedrich Merz
Sources:
[1] The Local Germany. (2021, June 16). Majorities support European nuclear shield, poll finds. Retrieved June 20, 2021, from https://www.thelocal.de/20210616/majorities-support-european-nuclear-shield-poll-finds
[3] Forsa. (2021, June 16). Zuwachs in der Mehrheit für europäischen Atomschutz [Increase in majority for European nuclear shield]. Retrieved June 20, 2021, from https://www.forsa.de/de/presse/nachrichten/zuwachs-in-der-mehrheit-fuer-europaeischen-atomschutz
[4] Tagesspiegel. (2021, June 16). Mehrheit der Deutschen möchte eigene Nuklearschutz mit [Majority of Germans want their own nuclear shield]. Retrieved June 20, 2021, from https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/mehrheit-der-deutschen-moechte-eigene-nuklearschutz-mit/27623970.html
- The Commission, following the poll findings, is also proposing to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals regarding policy-and-legislation for a potential European nuclear shield, under the current political landscape due to external unpredictable policies like those of Donald Trump.
- The push for a European nuclear shield, as supported by a majority of Germans, according to the Forsa survey, is not only a topic of foreign policy but also a point of interest in general news, shaping discussions in politics and diplomacy across the continent.
