France has emerged as the European Union country most worried about national security, according to a new Eurobarometer survey released the European Commission ahead of the Munich Security Conference.
The poll shows that 80 percent of French respondents are concerned about their country’s security, the highest level recorded among EU member states surveyed. Despite these concerns, only around four in ten French citizens say they trust the EU to protect them, placing France among the least confident in Brussels’ defence role.
Across the bloc, 68 percent of Europeans believe their country faces a threat. High levels of concern were also recorded in the Netherlands and Denmark at 77 percent, followed Cyprus and Germany at 75 percent. The findings reflect growing unease over geopolitical instability, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to global trade.
While security concerns are widespread, trust in EU level defence initiatives varies significantly. Overall, 52 percent of respondents said they trust the EU to strengthen defence capabilities. Confidence was highest in Luxembourg at 76 percent, Portugal at 74 percent and Lithuania at 71 percent.
The survey also revealed strong support for increased defence spending. Around 74 percent of respondents either back current EU defence investment levels or favour higher spending. Portugal recorded the strongest support at 89 percent, followed Finland at 83 percent, Lithuania at 80 percent and Spain at 80 percent.
The results come as European leaders gather at the Munich Security Conference to discuss mounting security challenges. Issues on the agenda include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, relations with the United States, and the broader strategic direction of European defence cooperation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has in recent years advocated for stronger European strategic autonomy, arguing that the continent must bolster its own military capabilities while maintaining alliances such as NATO. His position has included calls for deeper integration in defence policy and discussions around shared deterrence frameworks within Europe.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated in Munich that confidential discussions with France are underway regarding closer defence cooperation, including potential collaboration on nuclear deterrence concepts. France remains the only nuclear power in the EU following the United Kingdom’s departure from the bloc.
The survey underscores a growing tension within the EU between heightened public anxiety over security and uneven confidence in collective defence mechanisms. As geopolitical pressures intensify, policymakers face the challenge of translating public concern into coordinated action at both national and European levels.
