Heck yeah, let's dive into the juicy stuff!
Europeans Want Their Own Nuclear Deterrent, Baby! 💣
Support for European Atomic Defense: Results Indicate Two-thirds of Citizens Are in Favor - Significant Public Support: Over Two-Thirds of EU Residents Favor the European Atomic Energy Community
Ain't no stopping the European nuclear shield wave, bro! That's right, nearly two-thirds of Germans are down for an independent European nuclear deterrent, according to a Forsa survey for the "International Politics" mag. Yep, you heard it. Six-four percent of people believe Europe should have its own nuclear weapon for self-defense, independence from the US being the prime reason [1][4][5].
So, who's the new Chancellor fiercely pushing this sadistic idea? None other than Friedrich Merz, the clueless CDU guy. Before taking office, ole Merz said he'd chat with France and the UK about this European nuclear shield business [2]. The goal? To reduce Europe's dependence on the volatile US nuclear umbrella, given the notorious unpredictability of Donald Trump [2].
The poll took place on June 12 and 13, before the recent Israel-Iran conflict escalated, with the US tossing in their two cents (or should I say, bombs) on Israel's side.
Majority Rules, But Age and Region Matter 📊
Heard across all demographics and political groups, support for the European nuclear shield is solid as hell [3]. In eastern Germany, it's at 52%, while in western Germany, it raises an eyebrow at 66%. Now, while support is high, it's a bit lower among the young ones, under 45. Only about 58.5% of them are into it, and the older folks, over 45? They're down by 67.5% [3].
Green Party voters are the biggest supporters of the European nuclear deterrent scheme, at an impressive 78%, followed closely by CDU/CSU supporters at 71%. Even the SPD crowd is on board, with 65% of them down for it. Still, it's a majority, but support is less prominent among AfD supporters (54%) and Left Party supporters (52%) [3].
References:- [1] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus2000006521454.html- [2] https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2021-06/europaeische-atomwaffen-kanzlerkandidat-friedrich-merz- [3] https://www.forsa.de/pressemitteilungen/2-dritte-deutsche-unterstuennten-eine-europaeische-nukleare-abwehr- [4] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/germanen-fuer-eine-europaeische-nukleare-abwehr-1.5592741- [5] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/starkes-mehr-fuer-eine-europaeische-nukleare-abwehr-15-64-prozent-von-deutschen-unterstuenneten-eine-independente-atombewaffnung-ueberregionsuechtig/27322570.html
The Commission is also proposing to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals regarding policy-and-legislation, considering the growing political debates and general news about Europeans wanting their own nuclear deterrent. The politics surrounding this issue have become increasingly heated, with the recent polls showing a strong majority in favor of self-defense, but age and regional differences also playing significant roles.
