The people of Germany are currently participating in politics more than ever, as evidenced by the high turnout in the state elections last September in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Concerns About the Cost of Living
According to the findings of the annual study "Fears of Germans," the biggest concern for the people of Germany right now is the cost of living, which is increasing significantly. This study was presented by an insurance company in Berlin.
This study was conducted from early May to late July of this year, involving about 2,400 German-speaking citizens over the age of 14. In this survey, 59% of participants identified the rising cost of living as their biggest concern, which is a 7% increase compared to last year.
Rising Prices and Social Crises
Isabel Borucki, a political scientist from Marburg, explained at a press conference in Berlin that "the prices of key items — energy, housing, and food — have clearly increased." She emphasized that this situation reduces the financial space for leisure, vacations, and shopping, leaving people with less purchasing power.
The study also shows that people are well aware that Germany's social security systems are in serious crisis, and taxes and contributions are expected to rise. For this reason, the fear of higher taxes has increased compared to previous years.
At the same time, 52% of respondents expressed concern that the number of refugees is too high, placing this worry third among all concerns. However, regarding global tensions, Germans are less worried.
Only 45% of respondents stated that the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump have made the world more dangerous, which is down from 69% during his first term.
The study also shows that only 20% of employed individuals are worried about losing their jobs, the lowest recorded level to date. However, the evaluation of politicians and the current government received an average score of 4.1 out of 6, indicating public dissatisfaction with their performance.
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