A survey indicates that many Germans view the country’s current economic and political situation with skepticism. Three-quarters of respondents rated Germany’s economic situation as less favorable or poor, according to a study released Wednesday by the Körber Foundation in Hamburg. Sixty-two percent believe that Germany is not prepared for upcoming transformational challenges.
Only half of those surveyed feel that Germany operates fairly. Trust in democracy has fallen to 45 percent, while skepticism toward the media remains high, with three out of four respondents expressing little or no trust. Science, however, fared better, with 71 percent expressing significant or very high trust.
While 94 percent of respondents want strong oversight mechanisms by parliaments and courts, only 56 percent believe this oversight is currently effective, a decline of 19 percentage points from last year.
Eighty percent see populism as a threat to democracy, compared with only 39 percent among respondents favoring the AfD. Eighty-five percent support strong measures against fake news, and 54 percent favor banning populist parties.
Furthermore, 85 percent believe that social media fosters hate and societal polarization. Two-thirds advocate easing data protection rules to enable more effective legal action. “Democracy remains under pressure,” said Sven Tetzlaff of the Körber Foundation. He added that many people feel unsettled and are losing trust in democracy and the economy.
Despite concerns about the country’s future, respondents are notably more optimistic about their personal futures. Fifty-two percent view their own prospects positively, the highest figure since 2020, up six percentage points from last year. The survey was conducted between July 1 and July 10 among 1,108 participants.
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