The survey of Germans, which is periodically conducted among citizens of the country, showed that the level of trust in the state has fallen to a record low.
As of August 2023, only a quarter of the population believes that the state and state institutions are capable of effectively performing the duties for which they exist.
Surprise
Public opinion research was conducted by the German Civil Service Federation. They conduct surveys on this issue once a year. The last significant “slump” of trust was observed in 2019, before the start of the pandemic. Then, for several years in a row, the confidence of the Germans in the state slowly increased until this year’s collapse occurred.
Faces change
Political scientists associate such negative changes with the removal from the political arena of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was a symbol of stability for many Germans. Her successor, Olaf Scholz, chose a different model of work, and it was the reason, which caused the distrust of citizens:
– he neglects communication with the public more than his predecessor;
– makes no effort to resolve political differences in the coalition government.
Since Scholz took office in 2021, the majority of Germans have been strongly dissatisfied with the chancellor’s performance for the first time.
What changes the Germans expect?
The head of the German Civil Service Federation, Ulrich Silberbach, commenting on the received data, is not inclined to pessimism. He notes that people do not want another state, but that the existing state should become effective. According to him, civil servants also want the same thing.
In parallel with the drop in the level of trust, there is a significant increase in such an indicator as “social stress”. All this is connected not only with contradictions in the country’s political environment but also with permanent tension in the east of Europe due to the war in Ukraine.
Whatever position German citizens choose – support for Ukraine, a pro-Russian position, or neutrality – they still feel strong psychological discomfort and uncertainty about the future.
