Approaches to the Population Sheltering in Selected European Countries in the Context of a Changing Security Environment
Volume 2026, Issue 1 (2026), pp. 308–319
Pub. online: 1 July 2026
Type: Article
Open Access
Published
1 July 2026
1 July 2026
Abstract
The aim of this article is to analyse the approaches to population sheltering in Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden. The research methodology is based on a previously published article by the authors [1], in which the relative criteria of approaches to population sheltering in selected countries were identified and evaluated using Saaty method and the weighted sum method. This procedure is now also applied to the newly assessed countries. The analysis of sheltering in Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden highlighted common features resulting from the inclusion of sheltering within the system of total national defence, as well as differences in the systemic integration of sheltering among the countries under review. The findings suggest that an effective sheltering system is contingent upon sustained political support, a clear legislative framework, and the integration of protective infrastructure into the broader framework of national security.