06/23/2025June 23, 2025
Majority of Germans favor independent European nuclear deterrent
Almost two-thirds of Germans are in favor of a independent of the United States, according to a new poll.
The survey, conducted by the Forsa institute for “Internationale Politik” magazine, found that 64% of respondents were in favor of setting up a European nuclear shield, while 29% were opposed.
Before taking office in May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had already signaled his intent to pursue discussions with the United Kingdom and France — Europe’s two nuclear powers — on developing a joint European nuclear strategy.
The goal is to reduce Europe’s reliance on the US nuclear umbrella, especially amid concerns over the unpredictability of President Donald Trump.
Support for a European deterrent was consistent across demographic and political lines — an unusual level of consensus on foreign policy in Germany.
In western Germany, 66% backed the idea, compared to 52% in the east. Among respondents under 45, support was 58.5%, rising to 67.5% among those over 45.
By party affiliation, 78% of Green Party voters supported the concept, followed by 71% of supporters of Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Support also stood at 65% among Social Democratic Party (SPD) voters, 54% among Alternative for Germany (AfD) voters, and 52% among those backing The Left.
The UK’s nuclear deterrent is operationally independent but technologically reliant on US systems. France’s version is both operationally and technologically independent.
The poll was carried out in the second week of June, before the latest escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, which has involved direct US military action against Tehran’s nuclear program.
The post Germany’s Merz says Europe must end US defense ‘free-ride’ appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
