(Photo: picture alliance / CHROMORANGE)
Polish sociologists compared changes in public sentiment among Poles between 2023 and 2026 and determined how many citizens are willing to go to war to defend their country. According to InfoSecurity24, the results were disappointing—there has been a systematic “cooling of patriotism.” According to data from the IBRiS analytical center, only 15% of Poles are currently willing to risk their lives for the sake of their country’s security, although in 2023 that figure stood at 27%.
A particularly alarming trend is observed among young people. Citizens aged 18 to 29 are the least willing to fight. Among them, the willingness to go to war stands at just 18%. The older generation showed the highest level of patriotism: 56% of Polish citizens aged 40–59 are willing to defend their country.
In addition to the decline in patriotism, many Poles stated that they are not prepared to make material sacrifices. Previously, 46% of Poles were willing to give up their personal well-being for the sake of their homeland, but now that figure stands at 36%, while the number of people unwilling to make any sacrifices has risen from 14% to 30%.
Furthermore, Polish citizens were found to be unprepared for a possible war. Many are unaware of even basic safety rules. In particular, 81.8% of respondents admitted that they do not know where the nearest shelter is located. At the same time, only 36% of Poles plan to undergo special civil defense training.
Sociologists noted a dangerous paradox: about 67% of Poles expressed a desire to assist civil defense efforts. However, they are not eager to acquire specific skills; in other words, their morale is not backed up by actual training.
In late spring, reports emerged in Poland about the distribution of so-called mobilization cards to citizens. The documents caused concern among the population, but the Polish Ministry of Defense explained that this was a standard military registration procedure, not a declaration of mobilization
And the Germans, too
A poll showed that more than half of German citizens (59%) would not take up arms to defend the country if it were attacked. However, the majority supports mandatory military service, while young people are against it, according to DW.
More than half of German citizens (59%) would not take up arms to defend the country if it were attacked. These are the results of a survey by the Forsa Institute, published by theRedaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) media group.
The survey included 1,002 people—both men and women. When asked, “Would you defend Germany with arms in hand in the event of an attack?” only 16% said “definitely yes,” 22% answered “maybe,” and 59% said “most likely not” or “under no circumstances.” Among men, 46% of those surveyed were not willing to defend the country, while among women, the figure was 72%. By age group, the highest proportion of those unwilling to defend the country (68%) is found among those over 60.
When asked, “Is mandatory military service necessary if there aren’t enough volunteers?” 59% of respondents answered “yes,” while 37% answered “no.” Opposition to conscription is highest among young people (61%), who would potentially be subject to it. Support for conscription is highest (67%) among people over 60, who would no longer be drafted. Among party supporters, voters in the conservative CDU/CSU bloc are the most active in supporting conscription—77%. The highest proportion of opponents of mandatory service is found among supporters of The Left (70%).
Do Not See a Threat of Military Attack
When asked, “How likely is it that Germany will be subjected to a military attack in the next five years?” 72% of respondents answered “not likely.” Only 27% consider this likely. At the same time, 59% expect that Germany will have to provide military assistance to another NATO member. RND journalist Markus Decker (Markus Decker) calls it surprising that there is almost no difference between eastern and western Germany—neither on the issue of defending the homeland nor in their assessment of conscription—even though views on the war in Ukraine often differ in the former GDR compared to the rest of the country.
What about the fighting spirit in Moldova?
According to a telephone survey conducted in January 2023 by CBS Research commissioned by the NGO WatchDog, in the event of a Russian attack, approximately 46% of respondents openly stated they would not take up arms to defend Moldova in the event of an invasion by Russia or the Transnistrian army. Only 23.6% said they would take up arms to defend Moldova’s independence and integrity.
An earlier survey conducted by CBS Research, the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDSI), in collaboration with the Ion Brătianu ISPRI and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in September-October 2022, revealed the following picture. In Moldova, 48.2% of residents are not prepared to defend the country with arms in the event of an attack by Russia or Transnistria, 13.3% – “rather not,” 10.1% – “rather yes,” and 22.4% – “definitely yes.” War in the region is a concern for 43.2% of respondents. Regarding the Transnistria issue: 50.7% of respondents named “peaceful reintegration with autonomy for Transnistria” as the best solution to the Transnistrian conflict, 19.6% – “recognition of Transnistria’s independence,” 11.7% – “harsh reintegration with the use of economic pressure,” 4.6% – “preservation of the current situation,” and 1.7% – “integration by force.”
