A recent study shows that many Germans are worried about their loss of income.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Germans worry about their material status. This is the conclusion of the Institute for Demoscopy Allensbach (IfD) in the new “Security Report 2023”, which was presented in Berlin on Tuesday.
“Material fears have increased significantly in the population,” states Renate Köcher, Managing Director of the IfD. 86 percent of Germans are concerned about persistently high inflation. Just over half of the population fears that the energy supply in Germany might not be adequately secured.
The fourteenth edition of the population survey, conducted from January 5 to 18, 2023, shows: German risk perception is shifting far away from the corona pandemic to foreign policy conflicts and their consequences. 63 percent of the population fear that Germany could be drawn into military conflicts.
But the greatest perceived danger remains inflation: 67 percent of the population see it as a personal threat.
Past crises, on the other hand, are less important: only 34 percent of those surveyed saw natural disasters such as the Ahr Valley flood in 2021 as a threat. Only 16 percent of the population are concerned that “we won’t get the corona pandemic under control”. Around a fifth fear a new pandemic.
IfD boss Köcher speaks of an “accumulation of crises”. A look at the figures shows how quickly and decisively attitudes within the population can change.
NATO and USA: Surprisingly high level of approval among Green voters
“What should worry Germany’s partners are the opinions on NATO,” says Klaus Schweinsberg, founder of the Center for Strategy and Higher Leadership at the IfD, which is responsible for the study. 60 percent of the population reject a potential NATO mission to defend the Baltic states or are unsure. 40 percent of those surveyed are in favor of Germany taking part, a year ago it was five percentage points fewer.
Participants were also asked about their party preferences. According to Schweinsberger, it was surprising that the shift in the NATO issue was only reflected in the voters of the Greens. While, for example, supporters of the CDU and SPD had lessened their approval of the NATO mission, the willingness among supporters of the Greens had “increased significantly”.
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Supporters of the Union, SPD, FDP and Greens perceive the USA as a NATO country as a reliable partner. Most AfD voters see things differently: 60 percent do not approve of the alliance with the United States. The left supporters are 51 percent.
From the point of view of most Germans, the most threatening country is Russia. 82 percent of the population perceive the state as a “peace threat”. It is followed by China and North Korea, which topped the list before the start of the Ukraine war.
Germans demand more money for the Bundeswehr: “Development that we have not measured for so long”
According to the IfD, the Germans are taking a big part in the war in Ukraine. “The vast majority of Germans have the feeling that the war will directly affect Germany,” says Köcher.
In the meantime, 67 percent, i.e. two-thirds of the population, are calling for more government investment in the equipment of the Bundeswehr. In 2017 it was only 44 percent. “This is a development that we haven’t measured for so long,” explains Schweinsberger.
One issue that is hardly perceived as a risk – despite increasing economic concerns about inflation, loss of income and poverty in old age – is unemployment: Only 14 percent of Germans feel threatened by it. “The population is very aware of the robust labor market,” explains Köcher. The lack of workers and skilled workers is having a dampening effect on the job worries of Germans.
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