55% of Austrians fear war and 16% are ready to fight
An online representative study conducted by the Austrian Institute "Integral" for opinion research showed that 55% of the Austrian population fears the outbreak of a third world war. Survey participants consider the most dangerous threat to peace in Europe to be the Russian war against Ukraine, followed by current U.S. policy and the immigration issue.
Despite these concerns, the readiness for military defense of Austria remains low, with only 16% expressing willingness to bear arms, including 27% of men and only 9% of women.
According to what was reported by the Executive Director of the Integral Institute, Bertram Barth, the majority of the population is concerned about the loss of political balance in the country. 59% expressed their fear of the rise of right-wing movements, while 44% are worried about the influence of leftist forces. Additionally, 43% of participants believe that a return to an authoritarian regime similar to that of the Nazis is possible, and 62% confirmed that the current political and social situation reminds them at least of the events that paved the way for the rise of the Nazi regime.
Regarding the perception of Austria's role in World War II, a quarter of the respondents expressed their opinion that this topic is being addressed excessively, and it was found that this group is mostly composed of supporters of the FPÖ (Austrian Freedom Party). In contrast, 35% believe that the discussion about it is still insufficient, while 30% consider the level of coverage to be appropriate.
Despite the variation in opinions, a majority of 62% believe that Austria, due to its past, has a special commitment to promoting peace and cooperation at a global level. Additionally, 82% believe that future generations should not be held responsible for the crimes committed during World War II.