“Would you like the European Union to form a joint army for all member states, in addition to national armies?” (2022 survey)
by EUstrongerthanUS
“Would you like the European Union to form a joint army for all member states, in addition to national armies?” (2022 survey)
by EUstrongerthanUS
46 comments
Source: https://www.fondapol.org/en/study/freedoms-at-risk-the-challenge-of-the-century/
This survey was held two months before the war broke out. I think we can now basically add 10 percent to the results. Maybe even more?
Why is this question even asked from countries outside EU? But I’m little bit surprised from Belarus, imo. surprisingly high.
Yes. Important definition being “in addition to”. Its way too early to just disband national armies, and had we done so after cold war, in worse case scenario it would have been defunded as badly as German army, but with no backup and Hungary blocking everything. Luckily for Finland, Finland maintained strong defense.
Establishing EU army alongside national ones allows us to create framework for organisation that is really difficult and controversial to create and flesh out with tons of political and practical issues, some of which will take decades to sort out.
And it cant be just “units assigned to EU army”. Thats completely different and does not help solve many of the issues. Its not just matter of point of view or semantics either. Its better than nothing and gives us some experience of working together, but its far from actual EU army.
And the army would do…absolutely nothing because there won’t be policy unanimity. For an example, see Germany getting in bed with Russia while Poland, et al were sending up alarms about the threat.
And you want me to believe this hypothetical army would be responsive to concerns in the east? Doubt it.
I would prefer an EU army *instead* of the national armies, not as addition.
We have NATO and joint EU command/units already. EU army should be reserved for when EU turns into a federation, and we are a long long way away from that.
We don’t have the necessary political unity to make a joint military viable. Whatever crisis would emerge we’d never have a consensus between the 27 member states whether the army should be used, where, how etc. This would not be an issue where states would just bow to the majority decision – if the lives of their own citizen soldiers were on the line for something they did not consider justified or worthwhile, they’d veto the hell out of it.
I know it says ‘in addition to the national armies’, so countries like France could still go on their little post-colonial adventures on their own, but there is still little to no point in a joint military if everytime there is a potential use case you’d first have to spend an eternity figuring out who’d be up for this one, who’d be out, who’d maybe provide this, but not that …
The only realistic path is through countires whose cultures and interests have aligned closely for some time to integrate their armies, like the Netherlands and Germany are doing, or the Nordics with their joint air command.
# Deus vult
Turkey is missing.
I always wondered how exactly such an army would work. If you had a General from Germany managing troops from Spain you enter the situation where they’d rather send such troops into harder situations than those from Germany. Historically it’s been a thing to send people from other regions to suppress those in different regions, it’s easier to do such when they’re from different locations.
edit: I didn’t think this comment would be so controversial and more a point for discussion for those who perhaps disagree or have a clearer idea than myself on these concerns.
Not yet, we have NATO
Yes!
Surprised it’s as high as 47% in Ireland – apart from involvement in UN peacekeeping missions, we tend to be apathetic about having our own national army.
34% of Belorussians understand what is good for Europe.
Here in Montenegro the latest research suggests about 89% of ppl support the EU so I guarantee that at least 60% of us supprt this. And 60% is bare minimum.
Montenegrins in general are ULTRA MEGA GIGA PRO EUROPEAN UNION.
OK, if *in addition to armies*, then where would that extra funding and extra manpower come from? Either case it would weaken the national militaries.
Talk is cheap
I would love for the Bulgarian army to be absorbed into a structure managed by someone else. If they are forced to do their jobs, the military will dissolve, and that will solve the workforce shortage everywhere else in no time flat.
And as always, nobody knows how this army would be funded. Nobody knows where these soldiers and the equipment would be based. Nobody knows how this army would be authorized to go into combat.
Should’ve been done decades ago.
🇪🇺 let’s have strong integrated, joint army
Who would be the sovereignand who would represent him
EU army on top of national armies would be just another pointless stiff byrocratic money sink. I’d imagine the budget for it would come from national defense budgets therefore actually decreasing the total military capability of eu.
Not at fckin all. Each country should have it’s own army to be as independent as possible.
We asked Belarus but not Türkiye ?
I would highly support it, if it were instead of national armies
Yes, yes it fucking should. And preferably if it was done last year.
Even with Russia’s predatory ambitions Europe’s biggest threat is still its rulers.
Why would I fight for a Europe that is promised to no longer be European by the time I die.
Why Germans still want to rely on USA for their security?
I don’t understand how the number is below 50%.
For how long do you want to be US vassal and have massive military installations in your country that you don’t even control.
Enough with military weakness when you have economical might.
Europe needs a strong German military **NOW**!
How about EU sticks to economy, trade, and development. Thx.
yes and a one world government, repeat after me: I am free
We don’t even meet bare minimum NATO standards an EU military would be nothing but bureaucratic feet dragging and complaining to avoid pulling any weight
Yes but it has to be opt-in and paid for by EU money.
The soldier needs to choose between the national army and the EU one, army bases also need to be built by EU or rented out based on negotiations and agreements with the hosting country.
And most importantly the EU military can be used without needing unanimous approval from all member states.
No, fuck federalism.
Yes. Better than having to deal with Turkey and a possible Trump admin.
Looking how some of the west and south countries drag their feet with Ukraine, I have zero confidence in this army.
No.
The fact that each country has its own military with its own traditions hand identity that works well together with others via NATO or in some cases combined battle groups/command structures, joint training exercises and more means it’s probably a lot more resilient to political situations in one or both countries,
no one will feel less represented or in control, and it encourages countries to hopefully keep up their armed forces.
And the fact is that each country’s military has its own identity and traditions helps with recruitment where it might do the opposite in the case of “One EU army”
>58% of people in Italy don’t even want to stay in EU and would rather join forces with Russia lmao never trust these polls
Everyone is in favor of a free “committment”. Tie money to it to see what people really think.
E.g.
“What percent of GDP are you willing to spend on a national army and NATO committments (existing commitments)?”
“What percent of GDP are you willing to spend on a European army, above and beyond the above commitments?”
or
“What percent of GDP would you be willing to spend on military/defense?”
and “what percent of the total military/defense spend should go to existing commitments and what percent toward a European wide army?”
These numbers are fake af
It would be so much more efficient in the long run if european defense resources were to be pooled…
Please I hope you all decide to this. It is the way. You all could build a military to rival just about everyone else including Russia and China. It would be a huge win for democracy and stability in Europe and Eurasia. This American 100% supports a strong and resilient Europe
Greece feeling the neighbourly heat 🇬🇷
Joint army of Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid and Warsaw… good luck with that
Anything that’s a step towards total political, economical and military unity in Europe is a win in my book, though as others have said it has its practical issues.
My European heart however wishes this would become true.
Well to me it would make more sense. My country’s army sucks (Denmark) and the money we use would go a lot longer in a country that’s knows what it’s doing like Poland.