The future government has room to strengthen the budget of the armed forces, as revealed by a survey published this Monday in the 'Diário de Notícias': according to data from NATO, 66% of Portuguese want the country to remain in the Atlantic Alliance. Only 12% want to leave. There is a large majority in favor of an increase in defense spending: 77% of nationals want it to be maintained (34%) or increased (43%) – only 9% of Portuguese people support a cut.
In 2014, NATO allies pledged to reach 2% of GDP in military spending, a hurdle Portugal could not meet. Antonio Costa assured the partners of his objective to reach 2% by 2030 – in the state budget for 2024, an investment of 2.8 billion euros is indicated, an increase of 13.7% from the previous year. “We have not reached the 2% target and are far from it. A feature that reflects a lot on the priorities the new government has to give to the Atlantic Alliance”, commented João Rebelo, President of the Portuguese Atlantic Commission.
“After the election, the future prime minister also considers that this value cannot be achieved immediately, despite the commitment he wants to fulfill,” pointed out Professor Francisco Bronza García of the Institute of Strategy. Political Studies at the Portuguese Catholic University. “At the current rate of investment reinforcement, we will not reach 2% by the end of the decade (we will be 1.7%/1.8%)”, pointed out Bruno Cardoso Reyes, director of the History and Conservation Doctorate. University Institute and Military Academy of Lisbon. “Taking into account our credibility vis-à-vis our allies and a more conflicted world, it is necessary for the new government to rapidly increase investment in defense. That is, taking into account lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and current technological changes.
“The assumed international obligations must be met or we will leave the club as less responsible and less reliable allies, leaving the burden of our security to others. However, political will within the framework of current internal needs implies greater innovation and creativity so that promises can be fulfilled,” pointed out Bronza García.
However, the Portuguese numbers are not all 'in the red': investment in equipment “rose from 8% in 2014 to 22% in 2023”, Cardoso Reyes highlighted. “This is fundamental and allows for the first time to achieve one of the two objectives that we all committed to at the Wales Summit to be achieved in 2024. And it has a practical translation, for example, in a significant strengthening of the military and dual forces, using the transport capability with the new KC-390 military transport aircraft partially manufactured in Portugal at OGMA, He stressed that strengthening the capabilities of new technologies, especially drones and anti-aircraft, coastal and underwater warfare, is “crucial.”
“Political choices must be made and explained to citizens, today, in an international environment of war in Europe, defense must be increasingly considered as an investment, the government must create opportunities and look for some financial instruments in European incentives. This is related to research and innovation, our defense industry includes technology and external investment. “allows the development of the park, and seeks to create employment and wealth in this area,” argued Bronza García.