Finland Times

Thursday, 12 December, 2024
Home NATIONALPoll shows Finns' opinions split on Russia
Print
Sun, 04 Jan, 2015 12:00:25 AM
FTimes- Xinhua Report , Jan 4
 
Over sixty percent of Finns believe that it's "unlikely that Russia would threaten security in Finland", the country's national broadcaster Yle quoted a poll result as saying on Friday.
     
The poll by market research company Taloustutkimus, which was commissioned by the Yle, also showed that one third of the population felt that Russia, their eastern neighbour, "would pose a risk in the short term," though.
     
On the basis of party affiliation, the supporters of the Left League, the Greens and the Centre were somewhat less concerned than the average Finn. Meanwhile the supporters of the Social Democrats, the True Finns and the Conservatives were more worried than the average Finn.
     
Commenting on the results, Markku Kangaspuro, research director of the Alexander Institute of the University of Helsinki, said that Finns know about the Russians and therefore they don't have alarmist attitudes.
     
"Finns are w
orried, that is obvious, but ... Finns do not easily draw hysteric conclusions," Kangaspuro explained on Yle.
     
Kangaspuro noted that the "higher than average" anxiety amongst Conservatives is understandable against the backdrop that the party leadership is openly in favor of a Finnish membership in NATO.
     
The question whether Finland should join the NATO has been warming up again since the Ukraine crisis erupted, and the ruling party has favored a closer relationship with the military alliance.
     
The poll interviewed via phone 1,003 respondents aging form 15 to 79 in Finland in December last year.
 
comments powered by Disqus
More News

 
   
Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved
Developed By -