Eva: Most Finns would limit veto right of individual countries in EU

THE EUROPEAN UNION should adopt a more uniform stance on foreign policy, according to the majority of respondents to a new values and attitudes survey by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (Eva). Almost three-quarters, or 72 per cent, of the respo

By: helsinkitimes.fi

May 10 2024
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Eva: Most Finns would limit ve

THE EUROPEAN UNION should adopt a more uniform stance on foreign policy, according to the majority of respondents to a new values and attitudes survey by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (Eva).

Almost three-quarters, or 72 per cent, of the respondents estimated that the 27-country bloc should adopt a more uniform stance on foreign policy in order to enhance its credibility on the world stage.

Only six per cent of respondents viewed that the union does not need a more uniform foreign policy stance to enhance its credibility.

Eva on Thursday interpreted the finding as an indication that the public is increasingly aware of problems in foreign and security policy decision-making in the EU. Achieving a more uniform stance in the policy realms, it acknowledged, would in practice necessitate a shift away from unanimity-based to simple or supermajority-based decision-making.

Over half, or 56 per cent, of the survey respondents duly voiced their support for shifting toward majority decisions and limiting the veto rights of individual member states. Fewer than one-fifth, or 17 per cent, of the respondents expressed their opposition to the idea.

“An indication of the difficult nature of topics related to EU decision making is that over three-quarters (27%) did not comment on the proposal. One should also take into account that the question was formulated in a way that does not confine the shift to majority decisions exclusively to foreign policy,” wrote Sami Metelinen, the managing editor at Eva.

“In the EU, the unanimity requirement in decision making also applies to decision making on taxation, for example.”

Pro-EU views in Finland have for the past two years remained at a significantly higher level than ever before since Finland joined the EU in 1995, according to the survey by Eva.

Almost two-thirds, or 65 per cent, of respondents stated that they have a positive view and 15 per cent that they have a negative view of the membership. Almost a fifth, or 19 per cent, of respondents said they have a neutral view of the membership.

“Pro-EU views are more widespread than before for an obvious reason. The rise to the new level occurred in the spring of 2022, after Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine,” wrote Metelinen.

Such views peaked in the autumn of last year at 68 per cent.

Views on Finland’s Nato membership are similarly largely positive, with 76 per cent of respondents saying they view the membership positively. Nine per cent of respondents had a negative view and 14 per cent a neutral view of membership in the defence alliance.

The survey is based on responses given by 2,087 people to an online panel organised by Taloustutkimus on 13–21 March. The results have a margin of error of two to three percentage points.

Aleksi Teivainen – HT