Italians divided over defence spending

Pressure has been growing on some EU members, like Italy and Spain, which have yet to meet NATO’s target spending.

But what does public opinion say? According to a recent poll conducted by Youtrend on behalf of news channel Sky TG24, Italians appear to be deeply divided on the issue.

The poll suggests that Italians are evenly split on increasing defence spending, with supporters of Conte’s party, the Five Star Movement, being mostly opposed.

It also indicates that 41% of Italians oppose deploying Italian soldiers to Ukraine unless it is part of a UN-led peace mission.

"Yes, I support the ReArm Europe plan because I believe Europe must be able to defend itself through deterrence. That is, weapons are necessary—they help prevent war," a man told Euronews.

"I am against weapons, I am against wars," said another woman.

The sentiment on the streets of Rome reflects the poll’s findings. While the Italian government largely endorses the ReArm Europe plan to strengthen the continent’s defence capabilities, reactions from political parties remain mixed.

According to Daniele Gallo, Full Professor of EU Law at Luiss University, Italy’s position is delicate. "The risks for Italy are primarily those of excessive debt," Gallo explained, "since the country is more indebted than others."

"Additionally, some Cohesion Funds are being redirected toward defence. Thirdly, some countries, including Austria and Sweden, have opposed the creation of European public debt," he concluded.