A political topic tops the list for the first time in a new survey.

Defense tops as a political issue for the first time in a new poll

Although the war in Ukraine has been ongoing since the beginning of 2022, it is not until this year that the defense sector has made it into the top three most important issues for voters.

15 percent of respondents in a new poll from Epinion say that defense is the most important political issue. (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix) 25 minutes ago

In a time with drone incidents in Denmark, wars in various parts of the world, and Europe aiming to become independent of the United States' military power, defense is becoming increasingly important - also for the Danish people.

In fact, defense and international military operations are the issue that the most respondents currently believe is the most important that politicians should address.

This is shown in a new opinion poll that Epinion has conducted for DR.

And for the first time, defense and international military operations have not - in the actual poll - been the most chosen issue.

Despite the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia's invasion in 2022, it is not until this year that the defense sector has risen to the top three most important issues for voters.

- From 2015 to 2022, it (defense and international military operations, ed.) and fluctuated around one to two percent. And in 2024 it was around four to five percent. But in the latest poll it is 15 percent of voters, says Thorkil Klint, who is head of opinion polls and social science at Epinion.

Climate and environment are thus overtaken by other major issues such as hospitals and health, which is otherwise the issue that usually takes the lead.

In the latest poll, 14 percent chose hospitals and health as the most important, while 9 percent chose climate and environment. The Danish economy took third place with 11 percent.

There is, however, a statistical uncertainty associated with the poll.

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Danish citizens: Defense is filling up

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At Rema1000 in Hillerød, several citizens, whom DR speaks with, can understand that defense has become a high-flyer.

This applies, among others, to Kasper Dünnweber, who works as a cook on a daily basis.

- It's that, he says.

He himself believes that education is the most important area. As he has children in school age.

One of those who, on the other hand, believes that bullets and shells are the most important issue that politicians should address, is teacher Michael Madsen.

- Right now it's defense and military operations that I think about. I think that's it. It's what I hear a lot about.

Why is that?

- Because maybe we are a little worried about the things that are happening around the world. It certainly fills up, he says.

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Which of the following areas do you, in your opinion, consider the most important that politicians should address?

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* Hospitals and health: 14 percent.

* Education: 2 percent.

* Unemployment and job creation: 1 percent.

* Social inequality: 6 percent.

* Taxes: 1 percent.

* Management of the Danish economy: 11 percent.

* Immigration, refugees and immigrants: 10 percent.

* Crime and terror: 2 percent.

* Environment and climate: 9 percent.

* EU and foreign policy: 2 percent.

* Defense and international military operations: 15 percent.

* Culture: 0 percent.

* Business conditions: 1 percent.

* Other: 3 percent.

* Don't know: 5 percent.

Source: Epinion.

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Defense on the agenda

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If one asks Ditte Shamshiri-Petersen, who is a lecturer at Aalborg University and among other things deals with voter behavior, it is very natural that it is what fills up in the public debate that we as voters refer to as the most important political issue.

- I think it tops because we are currently in a situation where we may feel that our security is threatened, and from a political perspective, there is also talk of hybrid warfare. There is a rhetoric from the political perspective that this is serious.

- In that sense, I don't think it's so surprising that voters respond to an actual situation and thus change their agenda if there is suddenly something that becomes more pressing and more current. So I just see it as a good sign, says the lecturer.

Shamshiri-Petersen believes that it is good that we as voters are influenced by what is happening around us in the world.

- Fortunately, we let ourselves be influenced, and fortunately, voters respond to the current situation and change their agenda if there is suddenly something that becomes more pressing and more current. So I just see it as a good sign, says the lecturer.

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