A recent IBRiS survey for the Polish Press Agency found that 93.9% of Poles trust the Polish military, the highest level in nearly 10 years.
Trust in the Polish Military
The survey, conducted on September 12-13, showed that 56.1% of respondents “rather trust” the Polish army, while 37.8% “definitely trust” it.
Only 1.7% of respondents “definitely do not” trust the military, and 0.9% “rather do not”.
The trust in the military has been steadily increasing since 2016, when it was at 69%, with a 2.2% increase in the last year.
NATO’s Popularity
NATO also enjoys a high level of trust among Poles, with 75.7% of respondents expressing trust in the alliance.
This represents a 1.7% increase from the previous year’s survey.
Context and Analysis
The increasing trust in the military and NATO is attributed to the current geopolitical situation and the perceived threat from Russia.
According to Kamil Smogorzewski, director of communications at IBRiS, “In the face of military threat, society naturally turns to institutions that are perceived as fundamental to defense.”
Recent Incidents and Government Response
A recent incident involving a Polish rocket that damaged a house in Wyryki, Lublin province, sparked controversy and calls for transparency.
The Polish government and president have been informed about the incident, and an investigation is underway.
Premier Donald Tusk and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz have commented on the incident, emphasizing that the responsibility for the damage lies with the authors of the drone provocation, which is attributed to Russia.