Et is a feature of our time that, in view of the accumulation of crises and risks, the question of how we want to live in the future is urgent in many respects. Politics, business and society are at a crossroads, being forced to make decisions that have long been repressed or did not seem urgent. Peace in Europe seemed guaranteed to many, the overwhelming majority know nothing but peace. Suddenly, however, Europe is witnessing a war in which sovereignty and freedom are at stake, forcing Europe to decide whether to pursue peace at all costs or support the struggle for freedom and sovereignty.
At the same time, many questions arise as to how far dependencies can be accepted; this applies not only to the supply of energy and raw materials, but also to the organization of economic relations. Has globalization passed its zenith, do we want a sharper selection of trading partners and a renationalization of production structures, and are we willing to accept a loss of prosperity for this?
The economic collateral damage of the crises also put social solidarity to the test. The confidence that prosperity and thus the scope for distribution will continue to grow has been destroyed, and this also forces decisions on how the increasingly scarce resources should be used. The future shape of the welfare state in a rapidly aging population is at issue here, as is the question of which reforms would be supported or at least accepted by the population.
The course is so fundamental that it becomes a challenge for every government to make the right decisions and at the same time to convince the majority of the population in order to secure the basis for the continuation of its policies. On the first question, balancing peacekeeping with helping defend sovereignty and freedom, the government is getting less and less successful with each passing month. In March, after the proclamation of the turning point, the majority of the population supported the course in relation to the Ukraine war, only 33 percent took a critical view. As early as May, recognition and criticism balanced each other out, and since then dissatisfaction with the government’s course has been growing steadily. Only 29 percent are currently satisfied with the government’s Ukraine policy, while 58 percent are dissatisfied.
The fundamental question of whether defending sovereignty and freedom is more important than defending peace under all circumstances is answered unequivocally in the affirmative by the majority. Only 22 percent give peace an absolute priority, even if it means submission. However, it makes a difference whether it is about defending one’s own freedom or supporting another country. The population sees considerable collateral damage from the war, but does not fear a threat to their own sovereignty and freedom. As a result, strengthening the country’s defense capacity is still not one of its citizens’ priorities. The challenge of getting support for the sanctions is all the greater, especially when the collateral damage to the population becomes more noticeable than it is at present.
