Three out of four Spaniards in favor of Europe increasing its defense capacity

Madrid –Three out of four Spaniards are in favor of the European Union (EU) increasing its own Defense capability, according to the latest barometer from Spain’s Sociological Research Center (CIS). Moreover, the possibility of the EU promoting its own common army gains support from more than half of those surveyed.

Specifically, 75% of those surveyed believe that Europe should opt for a policy of rearmament as intended by the current president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, compared to 19.2% who are against it.

In fact, according to the March barometer, amidst controversy over the increase in security and Defense spending, half of Spaniards believe that Europe currently does not have sufficient defensive capability against possible aggressions from other countries. Although there is 31.2% who believe that it would have.

Likewise, in the face of the possibility of European institutions promoting a joint and common army of the 27 States, 67.8% of those surveyed are in favor of this idea, while 24.1% are against it.

If these data are analyzed based on what they voted in the general elections of July 2023, the majority of the voters of the PSOE partners—who are the ones most opposed to increasing Defense spending in Spain—are in favor of European rearmament and a common army. Only among the voters of the Basque independence party Bildu is there a majority rejection of increased defensive capability (64.5%) and the European army (69.7%).

If analyzed by parties, 90.6% of PP voters are in favor of increasing Defense spending, followed by Vox (79.5%); PSOE (76.3%); the Basque Nationalist Party (76.2%); the Catalan independence ERC (61.2%); Junts (58.3%) and Sumar, including Podemos (52.3%).

Regarding the possibility of creating an army among the 27 EU countries, PNV voters are the biggest supporters of this idea (86.4%); followed by socialists (76.2%); ‘populars’ (75.7%); the Catalan nationalists Junts (71%); ERC (70.2%); Sumar-Podemos (60.8%) and Vox (60.7%).

The Sociological Research Center has also wanted to focus on the international geopolitical landscape. Specifically, on the presidency of the American Donald Trump and the open conflicts between Israel and Gaza and Russia and Ukraine.

According to the survey, 77.2% of participants believe that with Trump in the White House, relations between the EU and the United States are going to change, compared to 11.8% who believe they will remain as they were.

Furthermore, the majority agree that this change will be bad or very bad for both the United States (48.6%) and the European Union (62.1%). Only 11% of those surveyed believe the change will be positive or very positive for the EU and 20.9% think the same for the United States.

On this issue, the CIS also asks about the war between Russia and Ukraine, which worries 65.9% of Spaniards a lot or quite a bit, compared to 18.9% who are little or not at all concerned with this conflict. A concern very similar to that of those surveyed with the war between Israel and Palestine, which according to the March barometer worries 60.4% of Spaniards a lot or quite a bit, compared to 20.1% who are little or not at all concerned. (March 17)