MADRID – Spaniards are increasingly supporting stronger investments in defense and national security, but seem to think that economic measures rather than pure military spending can boost their security far more, a recent industry study finds.
A study by GAD3 and TEDAE, the Spanish Association of Defense, Security, Aeronautics and Space Technology Companies, found that 69% of Spaniards are more worried about armed conflicts than they were five years ago.
But only 23% saw international conflicts and geopolitical tensions as the “main threat” facing the country, after irregular migration and pressure on borders at 28%. Meanwhile, direct military threats from other countries remain relatively low at 7%.
Instead, the main concerns stemming from global conflicts are economic: energy prices (64%), the cost of living (63%) and the wider global economy (61%).
Among key defense measures, 46% believe it is essential to reduce energy dependence, while support for creating a European army and promoting a national defense industry stands at 26% and 25%, respectively.
Additionally, 42% believe current investment in defense and security is “adequate”, slightly higher than the 40% who see it as “inadequate”. More than half, meanwhile, agreed that spending 2% of GDP on defense is a good target.
Spain reached that NATO-mandated threshold last year after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced an industrial plan to modernize the armed forces. this, according to NATO dataincreased Madrid’s military spending to 33.9 billion euros in 2025 – almost double the previous year.
However, the military alliance decided last year to raise that target to 5% of GDP, including defense-related spending, by 2035, a number that Sanchez opposed, drawing the ire of US President Donald Trump, who has suggested Spain be kicked out of NATO.
However, when it comes to who to trust in a crisis, NATO (55%) and the EU (51%) were perceived as “the best prepared”, with only around a third of citizens trusting their government.
In general, public opinion strongly supports the defense industry.
European aerospace giant Airbus, Spanish shipbuilder Navantia and radar technology firm Indra continue to be the main beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence.
Nearly eight in ten (77%) of respondents said they see these companies as “important” to national security.
Interestingly, more than 50% favor a decentralized approach that uses specialized firms in different sectors, rather than consolidating public defense tenders under a “national champion”, which 23% of respondents approve of.
(in)
