Russian aggression, the worsening of the international security situation and the potential return of Donald Trump as US President – with possible implications for defence alliances – have focused minds on Europe’s defence capability. In this context, the European Commission will, in late February, propose a new European defence industrial strategyand a defence investment programme.
Public support in the EU for such initiatives is, in principle, high. The most recent Eurobarometer public opinion survey found – in line with earlier polls – 79% of respondents either strongly or somewhat in favour of more EU-level defence cooperation, and 65% agreeing that more should be spent on defence in the EU. But these polls provide little detail on what precise form of EU defence cooperation garners most public support.
A survey on attitudes to EU defence, carried out in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain in November 2022 (Bruegel published an assessment in June 2023), offers some more detailed insight. About a third of survey respondents said they were in favour of a minimalist version of EU coordination in the defence sector. This minimalist version would involve cooperation rather than integration, with countries having veto and opt-out rights. German respondents were least favourable to such an approach, and Spanish respondents the most.
About the Author
Francesco Nicoli is assistant professor of political science at the Politecnico Institute of Turin. He also serves as professor of political economy at Gent University and he is affiliate fellow at the department of economics of the University of Amsterdam as well as visiting fellow at Bruegel.