The survey was conducted online from October to November, with just over 1,000 respondents aged 36–55. The survey asked whether the national defence budget should be increased by 200 million euros in the next five years.
A report prepared by Parliament states that 200 million euros is the amount required to renew the Defence Forces’ equipment and cover other expenditures.
Some 60 percent of all respondents supported the defence budget boost. Male and elderly respondents were far more likely to vote for the spending boost than women and young adults.
Executive director for the FRA, Olli Nyberg says the results shine a light on how closely Finns have followed the discussions surrounding defence spending, and first and foremost that they consider the crisis in Ukraine dire.
Nyberg also says that if the defence budget is not increased, Finland’s current defence system will fall apart.
”Our Defence Forces’ wartime strength is about 230,000 people,” Nyberg says, ”and two thirds of that are regional standing forces whose equipment is about to expire. If we can’t renew that equipment, which this additional money would be for, Finland’s wartime capabilities have to be drastically lowered.”
The next government will decide on defence spending in 2015.