ATTITYDER TILL ETT GEMENSAMT FÖRSVAR

Abstract

Attitudes towards the EU's common security and defense policy (CSDP) can be explained on an individual level and a contextual level. Research has largely examined attitudes towards CSDP based on the EU as a homogeneous group or based on case studies with individual countries or specific topics. The aim of this essay is to investigate individual-level factors that previous research considers influencing attitudes towards CSDP, to see if these factors differ between countries with different security policy strategies “Greece and Sweden”. The context in the essay provides an explanation for why attitudes in Greece and Sweden can vary. By comparing two countries with different security policy strategies and different security policy situations, I hope to contribute new knowledge about how attitudes can vary. The result of the analysis shows that there is a difference between attitudes towards CSDP in Greece and in Sweden. It also shows that certain factors discussed in previous research have explanatory value in these countries, while other factors do not. The result shows the importance of continued research of attitudes towards CSFP to understand the complexity of attitudes and be able to steer CSFP in a direction that satisfies the citiziens of the EU.