Tekijät

• Advisory Board for Defence Information (ABDI)

Asiasanat

European integration, NATO, armed forces, conflict resolution, conscription, crisis management, defence, defence and state security policy, foreign policy, international alliances, international conflict resolution, peace-keeping forces, terrorism

Sisällön kuvaus

This annual survey charted Finnish public opinion on foreign and defence policy, security, and military alliances. The respondents were asked how well Finland had managed its foreign policy and defence policy, and should Finland take up arms to defend itself if it were attacked. Opinions on defence forces funding were surveyed. One theme pertained to what kind of impact certain factors have on the security of the Finns and Finland (e.g. EU or NATO membership of certain countries, Finland's potential NATO membership, USA's, Russia's or the EU's fight against terrorism, Finland's neutrality).

Views were probed on whether the EU has the right to carry out a military intervention in an EU member state or a non-member state, and on what grounds (e.g. for humanitarian help or to prevent genocide). Further questions covered opinions on Finland's participation in the European Rapid Reaction Force, Finland's defence system (universal conscription or professional army), and what kind of military tasks the country's armed forces should undertake.

Attitudes towards NATO were studied with questions pertaining to Finland's participation in NATO-led crisis management operations, and making armoury and command structure compatible with the NATO standards. The respondents were asked whether Finland should join NATO, and should Finland enter a military alliance or remain non-aligned. One topic covered how concerned the respondents were about the future because of certain issues (e.g. use of nuclear power in Finland, Israel-Palestinian conflict, situation in Iraq, international terrorism, nuclear weapons.) Questions also explored what would be the best option if Finland decided to enter a military alliance or the EU developed a common defence. Opinions were charted on Finland's decision to send peacekeepers to join UN forces in southern Lebanon, and what should the role of UN peacekeepers be there.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, economic activity and occupational status, type of neighbourhood, age(s) and number of children, level of education, employment status, household income, household composition, region of residence (NUTS3), economic activity and occupational status of the household's main earner, who in the household was responsible for everyday shopping, which political party R would vote for if the parliamentary elections were held at that time, and which political party R had voted for in the last parliamentary election.