According to a survey conducted by the opinion‑polling institute Forsa, German citizens overwhelmingly want to keep the telephone sickness‑certification system despite criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). In a poll commissioned for the magazine “Stern” and the broadcaster RTL, 62 % of respondents said they would like to keep the telephone option, while 35 % favoured scrapping it.
The support is particularly strong among younger people: 85 % of those aged 18‑29 want to retain the system, 66 % of 30‑44‑year‑olds agree, and just over half of those over 60 are in favour. There is a clear socioeconomic divide. Seventy‑nine percent of those in paid employment back the rule, whereas 55 % of self‑employed respondents call for its abolition.
Political differences echo the public’s split. Support is almost unanimous among followers of the left‑wing party, with strong majorities also backing the system among Greens and the SPD. The Union, however, remains divided, while the majority of AfD supporters are opposed.
