For extra investments and a European army, against its own nuclear weapons: the Flemish person thinks about Defense
© ANP / Marcel Krijgsman
The fear of a Third World War is in many, but we prepare ourselves for this better than individually, according to De Vlaming. For example, a survey of 1,000 respondents on behalf of Ivox and the table of Gert. The majority supports extra investments in Defense and is in favor of a one -made European army.
Have the current geopolitical tensions changed our attitude on defense? That was the central question within the survey carried out by the research agency Ivox. And it turns out, quite a lot of people don’t have a good eye on it.
Almost half of the thousand respondents (48 percent) indicate that « they think the chance of a Third World War is high ». Women in particular seem worried: 56 percent agree with the position compared to 39.7 percent for men. Yet few people really seem to prepare individually for such a larger conflict. For example, barely 13.9 percent have already brought in extra items for any emergency situations.
The questioned seems to be of the opinion that we should be prepared as a country. For example, the majority is clearly in favor of extra investments in Defense. About two thirds – especially men – think that we should keep the promise to NATO this year by spending two percent of our GDP on defense. That also seems to be the intention of the De Wever government, which already wants to meet that condition by the summer.
Many of the respondents also see salvation in a one -made European army (75.9 percent) and the introduction of a mandatory military service of one year (50.8 percent). Older people and men in particular are healing those ideas. However, the mandatory military service has since been abolished for 31 years and does not seem to return immediately. Minister of Defense Theo Francken (N-VA) has already indicated several times that the army is not ready for logistics. Francken does want to work on a voluntary military service, for which all 18-year-olds are invited.
Some respondents (21.7 percent) believe that our country should go even further by developing their own nuclear weapons. The majority of people who agree with that statement consists of -34 -year -olds. Although there are more opponents in all age groups than supporters when it comes to their own core program. (Read more under the video)
At the table of Gert, Minister of Defense Theo Francken (N-VA) came to explain his policy. The introduction of a mandatory military service – where, however, half of the Flemish people have been won – is certainly not a political plan. « That’s not a slope, » he said. The government is committed to a voluntary military service for 18-year-olds. It will come from next year and according to the Minister Veen Animo is available for young people. « You can do something for your country, you get a training and therefore learn a lot, and there is collegiality and comrading. There is therefore a lot of interest in it. »
