For the first time, a majority of Swedes for NATO membership, according to a poll

For the first time, a majority of Swedes are in favor of joining NATO with a shift in opinion caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to a poll published on Friday 4 March.

Read alsoWar in Ukraine: in Finland and Sweden, neutrality is no longer appropriate this time

In one month, the number of supporters of membership in the opinion jumped nine points to reach an all-time high of 51%, while those who oppose it fell to 27%, a fall of ten points, according to this Demoskop Institute survey.

Respondents opposed to membership fall to 27%, a fall of ten points, while the number of undecided is almost stable, at 22%, according to the survey published by the daily Aftonbladet.

A first poll published on Friday showed a very strong surge of supporters of membership, but without a majority.

The war in Ukraine has also swayed public opinion in Finland, where it also won a majority for the first time.

“Serious consequences” according to Russia

In the immediate future, Sweden and Finland have ruled out the idea of ​​a candidacy for the military alliance, but the debate is completely relaunched, including among historically opposed parties.

Russia has been repeating for several years that the accession of one or the other of the two Nordic countries would have “

”, a warning reiterated last Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Finnish president, who is to meet Joe Biden on Friday March 4 in Washington, called on his country on Thursday to “

” on the question of NATO.

Sweden and Finland are officially non-aligned, although both NATO partners since the mid-1990s and having turned the page on their neutrality at the end of the Cold War.

In Sweden, opinion was mostly unfavorable to joining NATO until the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. Since then, favorable and unfavorable opinions have so far been in similar low waters.