A majority of Germans are calling for the introduction of a government price cap on petrol and diesel. According to a survey conducted by Forsa on behalf of Stern and RTL, support for limiting fuel prices has actually slightly increased since the spring, rising from 67 percent in April to the current level of 69 percent. Currently, 26 percent of Germans are opposed to such a measure, while five percent answered that they did not know.
Fueling a car has become expensive, largely due to the conflict in the Middle East causing sharp increases in petrol prices. As a result, some other European countries have implemented state-mandated maximum prices for gasoline. The German government is planning to introduce a temporary price cap, following the models used by Luxembourg and Belgium.
The level of support is particularly high in the East, where 81 percent of respondents wish for a fuel price brake. In contrast, this figure stands at 67 percent in the West. Supporters of the SPD and the Left Party are especially keen on government intervention. However, about a third (35 percent) of those favoring the AfD reject mandatory maximum prices at the pump.
The research institute Forsa surveyed 1,001 Germans for the study on behalf of Stern and RTL on September 17 and 18, 2026.
