Poll Finds 63.2% of Poles Doubt Military Readiness in Case of Direct Attack
A United Surveys poll shows 63.2% of Poles believe the armed forces and security services are unprepared to respond effectively to a direct attack or border threat, with sharp divides along political lines.
Broad skepticism over defense readiness
A nationwide survey published on Sunday, August 23, 2026, indicates that a majority of Polish citizens express doubts regarding the defensive readiness of national forces. Specifically, 63.2% of respondents stated that the Polish military and security services are currently not fully prepared to react effectively in the scenario of a direct attack or a threat to Poland's borders. The negative assessment is characterized by strong certainty among many participants, as 33% chose the firm response "definitely no", while 30.2% selected "rather no". On the other hand, 25.9% of surveyed citizens held a positive view of defense readiness. Within this group, 6.5% expressed total confidence by selecting "definitely yes", whereas 19.4% answered "rather yes". A separate group comprising 10.9% of the polled sample did not express an opinion on the matter.
- Definitely not prepared
- 33 %
- Rather not prepared
- 30.2 %
- Rather prepared
- 19.4 %
- Definitely prepared
- 6.5 %
- No opinion
- 10.9 %
Partisan divide between government and opposition voters
The survey shows noticeable differences in public sentiment based on domestic political alignments. Supporters of the governing parliamentary majority represent the only evaluated voter group in which positive evaluations of military preparedness surpass critical views. Among supporters of the ruling camp, which encompasses Civic Coalition (KO), the Polish People's Party (PSL), Poland 2050 (Polska 2050), and the Left (Lewica), exactly 50% expressed confidence in the military and security services. In this cohort, 16% responded "definitely yes" and 34% chose "rather yes". Nevertheless, critical opinions remain visible within pro-government ranks, with 34% of coalition voters responding negatively, divided into 20% choosing "rather no" and 14% selecting "definitely no". An additional 16% of governing coalition voters held no definite opinion.
- Opposition voters
- 82 %
- Unaligned voters
- 73 %
- Governing coalition voters
- 34 %
Opposition and unaligned voter skepticism
Electors backing opposition political groupings delivered a heavily critical verdict on national defense preparedness. Among voters aligned with Law and Justice (PiS), Confederation, the Confederation of the Polish Crown, and the Together party (Razem), 82% stated that the armed forces and security services are not ready to handle a direct attack or border threat. In this opposition electorate, 45% selected "definitely no" and 37% answered "rather no". Positive assessments were confined to 15% of opposition supporters, with zero percent in this group selecting "definitely yes", while 3% had no opinion. A similar pattern of skepticism appeared among remaining and unaligned voters outside the primary political blocs. In that group, 73% declared that the military is unprepared, broken down into 40% selecting "definitely no" and 33% selecting "rather no". Only 12% of these voters gave a positive evaluation, and 15% chose no opinion.
Survey parameters and methodology
The research was commissioned by Wirtualna Polska and conducted by the polling institute United Surveys by IBRiS. Fieldwork took place between August 7 and August 9, 2026. The study utilized a standardized mixed-mode methodology combining computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) with computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The survey was administered to a representative sample of 1,000 adult residents across Poland. The findings were released on August 23, 2026, outlining public confidence in the readiness of state security apparatus and armed formations.
