Public support for defence remains limited
Only 23 per cent of EU citizens want European funds to go towards military purposes. In a poll by Eurobarometer, defence capabilities and infrastructure come seventh out of ten possible investment priorities. These figures stand in stark contrast to the urgent calls from NATO and EU leaders for increased military spending. The most striking are the differences per country.
???? Should countries spend more money on national defence?
What do you think? Should countries spend more on defence?
Geographical differences determine support
Eastern Europeans show more concern
Support for defence spending shows a clear geographical pattern. Countries near Russia, Europe and NATO’s largest and closest enemy, are most willing to invest in defence:
- Estonia: 50 per cent support
- Finland: 46 per cent support
- Lithuania: 46 per cent support
Western and Southern Europe remain distant
At the other end of the spectrum – and often also of Europe – we find much lower support percentages:
- Italy: 12 per cent support
- Bulgaria: 13 per cent support
- Hungary and Slovenia: 14 per cent support
- Ireland: 15 per cent support
- Spain: 17 per cent support
The Netherlands and Belgium: moderate support
In the Low Countries, support for defence spending lies between the extremes:
- The Netherlands: 38 per cent support
- Belgium: 27 per cent support
These figures show a remarkable contrast with the current policy of both countries. The Netherlands reached the NATO target of 2 per cent of GDP in 2024 for the first time since the early nineties, with a defence budget of €22 billion. The Dutch government is even considering a further increase to 3.5 per cent of GDP.
Belgium had the lowest defence spending within NATO for years, but took drastic measures this year. The country increased its defence budget to 2 per cent of GDP (€12.8 billion in 2025) and plans a further increase to 2.5 per cent in 2034.
The message is not getting through
Daniel Fiott of the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy explains why leaders fail in their communication: “You cannot convince people in Western and Southern Europe that Russian troops will land in their capitals soon.”
He criticises the current approach: “Too many leaders are playing with fear tactics – this will not work.” Economic uncertainty also plays a role. Citizens fear that higher defence spending will come at the expense of other public services.
Conclusion
The Eurobarometer poll shows a fundamental problem: whilst security experts call for urgent defence investments, European citizens remain focused on immediate concerns such as health, education and employment. This gap poses a challenge for policymakers seeking support for increased defence spending. Without better communication about concrete security risks, public support for military investments will remain limited.