The support for EU membership has remained strong and even increased since the start of the war in Ukraine, according to a survey published by a pro-market think-tank Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA), on Tuesday.
Of the respondents, 64% considered membership as positive, 17% viewed it negatively, and 18% had no opinion.
Support for EU membership has risen to a record high after the Russian attack on Ukraine and is highest among university graduates and those aged between 18-35 and over 65.
The most pro-EU party proved to be the Swedish People’s Party (93%) followed by the Greens (88%), the SDP (88%) and the National Coalition Party (80%).
A somewhat significant change took place among the supporters of the nationalistic and populist Finns Party. The party programme still mentions “Fixit”, and 57% of its voters dislike the EU, the number of those with a positive view has increased to 22%.
Most criticism concerns payments. According to the Finance Ministry, Finland’s net payment to the EU amounted to €970 million in 2021, €175 per inhabitant. However, a report from 2019 by Akava Works estimated that the GDP per inhabitant had increased by 1.2% – 1.7% due to EU membership.
The Commission has calculated that the EU benefits its citizens by around €2,000/year.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
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