Finns are divided over having permanent NATO bases on their soil while most draw a red line on nuclear weapons, according to a survey published Thursday, which also points to continued high support for NATO membership since the country joined the alliance.
After a year-long accession process, Finland joined the north-Atlantic military alliance on 4 April, though experts close to the NATO file believe full integration may take years.
However, for the regular Finns, support for NATO membership continues to be exceptionally high, particularly compared to how membership is viewed in other NATO countries, the survey published on Thursday reads.
Among those asked about membership, 82% consider it positive, compared to just 11% who said they opposed it, while 7% said they had no opinion.
Finns are also overwhelmingly in favour of sending Finnish troops in case another NATO member state is attacked, as the survey points to 82% saying they consider Article 5 of the NATO treaty to be binding – a far cry from the 67% average among NATO states according to a survey from spring 2022.
However, Finns were divided when asked about permanent NATO military bases on their soil. While some 46% saw no obstacle in having foreign boots in the country, 42% were against it.
Yet most Finns (77%) opposed having nuclear weapons stationed in Finland, while 61% said they opposed such weapons also being transported across the country, the survey added.
Notwithstanding public opinion, Finland’s new current right-leaning government has decided to make NATO’s nuclear protection an elemental part of Finland’s security policy.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
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