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In light of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a majority of the German population supports strengthening national defence capability, including higher defence spending. This is the finding of a recently published online survey on the website of the ifo Institute, conducted among 1,095 randomly selected Germans by researchers from Leipzig University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM). A relative majority of respondents also favoured the reintroduction of compulsory military service, according to Junior Professor Sebastian Blesse of Leipzig University. He led the study jointly with Professor Philipp Lergetporer of TUM. Both are also affiliated researchers at the ifo Institute, Munich.
According to the survey, a clear majority of respondents are concerned about the possibility of a military conflict with Russia and are calling for Germany to be better prepared to defend itself in the event of external threats. “There are majorities within the population in favour of expanding the size of the Bundeswehr, taking more decisive action against hybrid attacks, and establishing a joint European army,” explains Philipp Lergetporer. To finance additional defence spending, respondents expressed a preference for reallocating existing public expenditure towards defence and internal security and away from social spending.
By contrast, the decision to exempt defence expenditure from the constitutional debt brake does not command majority support among the population. At the same time, respondents favour deeper European cooperation in defence and security policy, civil protection, foreign policy and economic policy. “Overall, the results reflect a clear public appetite for reform aimed at strengthening Germany’s defence capability and offer insights into which defence policies are likely to command majority support,” says public finance economist Sebastian Blesse.
The results confirm previous findings showing that, since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the German population has exhibited a significantly heightened perception of threat and has supported higher defence spending as well as a strengthening of the Bundeswehr. According to the researchers, what is new is that approval was measured not only in abstract terms but also in relation to specific security policy measures, and that it follows clear priorities and funding conditions.
The analysis is based on a representative, quantitative online survey of the German population conducted between July and September 2025. The sample was benchmarked against official population statistics.
Dr Sebastian Blesse, Leipzig University
Phone: +49 341 97 - 33626
E-Mail: blesse@wifa.uni-leipzig.de
Professor Philipp Lergetporer, Technical University of Munich (TUM Campus Heilbronn)
Email: philipp.lergetporer@tum.de
https://www.ifo.de/publikationen/2026/aufsatz-zeitschrift/gefahr-im-verzug-was-d... (in German)
A majority of the German population supports strengthening national defence capability.
Quelle: Colourbox
Copyright: Colourbox
Detailed responses from the population survey on strengthening defence capability. Image: ifo Instit ...
Quelle: ifo Institute
Copyright: ifo Institute
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