Four out of ten people in Lithuania would support a new defense tax from 2025, according to a Baltijos Tyrimai survey published by the public broadcaster LRT on Monday.
Just over half, 54 percent, of the Lithuanian population would not support such a tax.
The survey found that a fifth of respondents would be in favor of a defense tax paid by both private individuals and businesses. Sixteen percent would support a defense tax paid only by businesses, and only four percent would back a defense tax paid only by individuals, all citizens of the country.
Six percent of those polled had no opinion on this issue.
Support for a defense tax paid both by individuals and businesses was higher among young people aged under 30 years (24 percent), residents of major cities and towns (16 percent), respondents with higher education (33 percent), those with the highest (over 1,800 euros) monthly family income (28 percent), executives (33 percent), students (28 percent), specialists and civil servants (24 percent), public sector employees (24 percent), and right-leaning respondents (30 percent).
Unemployed people and housewives (31 percent) were more likely to agree that only businesses should pay such a tax.
Respondents of non-Lithuanian ethnic origins were more likely to have no opinion on this issue than others.
People aged over 30 years, those living in rural areas or smaller towns, respondents with incomplete secondary education and with average (1,001-1,800 euros) monthly family income, workers and farmers, private sector employees, and respondents with left-leaning views were more likely to oppose a new defense tax from 2025.
Baltijos Tyrimai polled 1,021 people in Lithuania between January 19 and 29.
In the representative survey commissioned by LRT, people were asked about the proposal to introduce a new defense tax from 2025 and their opinion on who should pay it.
Source: BNS
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