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A clear majority of Finns remain supportive of Nato, according to a survey commissioned by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (Eva). Public confidence in the alliance's security guarantees has increased since the think-tank's previous survey in the spring, according to Eva. Nearly half of respondents — 46 percent — said they fully or somewhat agreed with the statement that they fear the war in Ukraine could soon expand into a major European conflict. Just under one-third disagreed, while one-fifth said they were unsure. Fear of the war spreading was more common among women, 57 percent of whom said they feared a major conflict, compared to 37 percent of men. Such levels of concern were more pronounced among respondents with lower levels of education. Confidence in Nato's security guarantees has recovered somewhat since the spring, when Donald Trump's return to the American presidency shook trust in the alliance. Now, 38 percent of respondents said they consider Nato's deterrence credible, up from 32 percent in the spring. Meanwhile, the share of sceptics has fallen from 38 to 32 percent. "A clear majority of Finns are happy that help from other countries is no longer just a matter of hope, but that Nato membership now guarantees our security," said Sami Metelinen, managing editor at Eva, in a statement. Eva's survey drew responses from just over 2,000 people aged 18 to 79. The margin of error was between two and three percentage points in either direction. Pollster Taloustutkimus carried out the survey in October through an online panel.
