Swedes are divided over NATO membership

Combat vehicles on the streets of Gotland, troop movements and crisis meetings. The security situation in Europe has changed rapidly and the debate over NATO has returned to Sweden. About the same number in the country now in favor of NATO membership vs. Shows a survey conducted by Novus on behalf of SVT.

Just over a third, 37 percent of respondents, answered yes to NATO membership. Just below, 35 percent, said no. But as many as 28 percent are unsure.

More people in the survey answered yes, but this difference is not statistically significant. However, the difference is huge compared to when Novus last asked the question in 2017. At the time, 32 percent said yes to NATO, while the downside was 43 percent larger.

The “yes” side has made solid progress compared to 2017, so there are now as many supporters of NATO as there are for one. But about a third can’t answer the question but stand and weigh and that’s where that question really gets decided, says Torbjorn Sjostrom, Novus CEO.

Fear of Russia

Support is greater among men. The majority of sympathizers with M and SD are in favor of membership. The lowest support is among V sympathizers. All five S sympathizers want to join NATO.

A clear majority, 59 percent, also say they fear Russia as a great power. Almost every third, 29 percent, respond that they fear the United States as a great power.

If we go back a few years, about a third of them were afraid of Russia as a great power. They are now a clear majority, says Torbjörn Sjöström.

Sweden should not join NATO

The majority of the Riksdag parties support Sweden’s declaration of the so-called NATO option, that is, Sweden may join NATO. Only S, V and MP oppose this. But when it comes to actual membership, the majority of Riksdag members are against it. The former coalition parties, M, C, KD and L, want to join NATO. SD, on the other hand, doesn’t want that, like S, V, and MP.

“Sweden should not join NATO, but the most important thing that Sweden should do is invest more resources in overall defence. Nevertheless, Sweden should continue to cooperate with NATO.