Norwegians want stronger military but no welfare cuts

A significant portion of the Norwegian populace is in favour of boosting funding for the Armed Forces; however, support diminishes when it comes to the potential reduction in welfare benefits.

A survey conducted by Norstat for Vårt Land illustrates this point.

An impressive 85 percent are in favor of bolstering the Armed Forces. Simultaneously, merely 43 percent are in favour of reducing welfare to accomplish this aim. The strongest opposition to welfare cuts is found among those under 30, with a notable 74 percent against such measures, whereas individuals over 50 show a greater willingness to accept reductions, with 51 percent in agreement.

A staggering 92 percent of Conservative voters are in favour of bolstering the armed forces. This is subsequently accompanied by supporters of the Frp, Ap, and Sp. Support is at its nadir among the KrF and MDG, with two-thirds of voters expressing a desire to bolster the armed forces.

Voters from the FRP party exhibit a notable willingness to consider welfare cuts, with 58 percent in favour, whereas those aligned with the MDG party demonstrate a marked reluctance, with only 27 percent supporting such measures.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) has recently cautioned that the government’s heightened defense expenditure in light of the conflict in Ukraine will necessitate reductions in other areas of society.

In terms of regional sentiment, those in the north exhibit the highest levels of approval for increased defense spending, with a notable 77 percent in favour. Conversely, the capital city of Oslo shows the least enthusiasm, with support resting at 60 percent. Central Norway distinctly emerges as the area that most evidently embraces welfare reductions, with a notable 49 percent in agreement.

The survey was carried out by Norstat in early March. A survey was conducted with 1,000 participants regarding their stance on two statements: “We must strengthen the Norwegian defense,” and “We must accept reduced welfare benefits to strengthen the defense.”