Few Germans willing to take up arms to defend country, survey shows

BERLIN

Only 16% of Germans would “definitely” be willing to defend their country with weapons in case of a military attack, according to a new poll released Monday.

The Forsa Institute survey revealed widespread reluctance among Germans toward military engagement, despite repeated warnings from political and military leaders that the country should prepare for a potential armed conflict.

A clear majority—59%—indicated they would “probably not” or “definitely not” be prepared to defend Germany militarily if attacked. Among women, this reluctance was even higher at 72%.

Only 16% of respondents said they would “definitely” take up arms to defend Germany, while an additional 22% indicated they would “probably” do so, bringing the total of those potentially willing to fight to 38%.

The representative poll, commissioned by the media group RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, surveyed approximately 1,000 German citizens between July 28 and 29.

Germany has increased its military spending following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, and the country's intelligence agencies and armed forces have repeatedly warned that Russia could be in a position to attack a NATO country in the next five years.