According to a survey conducted by the polling institute Forsa, women reported being more concerned about current domestic and global issues than men. The “Worryometer,” commissioned by the broadcasters RTL and ntv, involved 1,009 German citizens who were asked on October 22nd and 23rd to rate 16 specified topics and developments in society as causing very great, great, lesser, or no concern.
One significant difference observed between genders involves the fear of Germany being drawn into a war. While 68 percent of women expressed concern, this figure was 47 percent among men. Women are also more frequently troubled by the rise of right-wing extremism (77 percent) compared to men (64 percent). Similarly, 79 percent of women and 69 percent of men worry about increasingly expensive housing, and concerns about rising prices were reported by 88 percent and 79 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, the increase in left-wing extremism and the consequences of immigration are concerns raised more often by men. Regarding left-wing extremism, men reported a concern level of 63 percent versus 57 percent of women, while concerns about immigration stood at 58 percent for men compared to 54 percent for women.
Younger demographics, specifically those between 18 and 29, report high levels of worry across many areas. The most common concern for this age group is that the federal government is overwhelmed by the issues facing the country (90 percent), followed by rising prices (88 percent). Worry levels concerning the security of pensions and the increase in right-wing extremism both reached 83 percent. Furthermore, 77 percent worry about the consequences of climate change-significantly higher than the overall population average of 64 percent.
Among those under 30, 75 percent are concerned about an inadequate school and education system. Although three-quarters of this group are serious about this issue, it was the eighth most frequently cited concern out of the 16 topics. Beyond government competence, prices, pensions, and right-wing extremism, young adults also worry frequently about climbing housing costs (79 percent) and social inequality (76 percent).
Older individuals reported a stronger focus on different topics compared to younger people. For those aged 60 and over, 81 percent expressed great or very great concern regarding the extent of criminality, compared to 50 percent of the 18-29 age group. Similarly, 74 percent of older respondents are concerned about a rise in left-wing extremism, compared to 38 percent of young adults. The fear of Germany entering a war reaches 68 percent of those aged 60 and older, compared to only 46 percent of those under 30.
Concerns about rising housing costs are particularly acute in major cities. In cities with at least 500,000 inhabitants, 84 percent worry great or very greatly. In smaller urban areas, this figure ranges between 70 and 74 percent. For contrast, city dwellers tend to be less worried about the rise of left-wing extremism. In cities with over 100,000 inhabitants, 47 to 48 percent report significant concern, while in smaller towns and communities, this figure ranges from 64 to 67 percent.
