Finns more positive to NATO membership

A poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat shows that Finns are relying less on their own reasoning on the benefits and disadvantages of joining NATO, compared with those offered by political decision-makers. More than half of respondents still oppose membership, but the percentage of opponents is smaller than ever before. Support for joining NATO is 27 percent, which is at about the same level as two years ago. The gap between support for and opposition to NATO membership is just 26 percentage points. Six years ago the gap between the pro and anti-NATO camps was more than 50 percentage points. When asked what arguments might be the most persuasive in making people support NATO membership, 68 per cent saw increasing Finnish influence over matters related to the country’s own security as a convincing argument. The same percentage might lean toward NATO membership if Finland, as a NATO member, could decide itself which conflicts taking place outside its border it would participate in. A possible threat from Russia was seen as a good potential pro-NATO argument by 58 percent, improving relations with the United States was seen as a valid argument by just 27 percent, and Sweden’s possible NATO membership was seen as relevant by just 18 percent.