Over 60% Of Germans Fear Country Cannot Defend Itself In Case Of War - Survey

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2023) Almost two thirds of Germans fear their country will not be able to defend itself in the event of a war, while over half are scared Germany could get drawn into a conflict, a special survey conducted by insurance company R+V Versicherung said on Wednesday.

According to the poll, 63% of Germans are seriously concerned that the Bundeswehr, the German army, will not be capable of defending the country should an all-out war break out. Compared to a similar survey in 2022, this fear has grown by 23%.

This is the highest number since 1999, when 60% of Germans surveyed by the company had similar fears amid the bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO forces, the pollster said.

The opinion study also revealed that this fear is stronger in the east of the country, in the former GDR, than in the west � 66% against 53%.

Besides, 55% of respondents are afraid Germany might become a party in a military conflict, which is 13% more than last year's figure, the poll showed.

The survey on German citizens' fears was conducted among 1,099 people from March 13-15.

Last week, the parliamentary commissioner for the Bundeswehr, Eva Hoegl, said it would take about 50 years to overhaul the German armed forces if the government kept spending roughly $1 billion per year on the military. She also noted the current German military infrastructure was in a bad condition.