A concerning trend of declining trust in Germany’s core institutions – government, political parties and media – has emerged from a recent survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute for Demoscopy, commissioned by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). The survey highlights a steady erosion of public confidence since 2021, raising questions about the legitimacy and efficacy of the political system.
While the Federal Constitutional Court continues to enjoy the highest level of trust, its standing has demonstrably weakened. Currently, 63% of respondents express trust in the court, a significant drop from 81% just four years ago. This decline, coupled with a surprising lack of widespread public awareness regarding the court’s functions and decisions – with only 23% claiming to follow its rulings – suggests a potential disconnect between the judiciary and the citizenry.
The broader political landscape presents a more troubling picture. Trust in the Federal Government has plummeted from 48% to 28%, although a low point of 23% was recorded in 2023. The Bundestag’s trust rating has also fallen to 36%, with political parties experiencing an even more precipitous decline to a mere 17%. These figures underscore a growing sense of disillusionment with the direction of German politics, potentially fueled by a confluence of factors including policy disagreements, perceived lack of transparency and a generalized skepticism toward established authority.
The survey also sheds light on lingering public sentiments surrounding the controversial failed election of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf as a Constitutional Court judge. While a majority (54%) deemed the parliament’s rejection of a candidate they weren’t convinced of as justified, even within the traditionally supportive base of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), a fundamental unease regarding the politicization of judicial appointments persists. A mere 21% believe that politicians should be involved in judicial selection, indicating a widespread desire for greater independence within the judiciary.
Perhaps most strikingly, a near-majority of respondents (approximately 50% in both cases) expressed feeling better equipped than politicians or judges to make key decisions, reflecting a deep well of popular dissatisfaction and a potential desire for direct engagement in governance. This growing sentiment, combined with the broad erosion of trust across key institutions, paints a complex and potentially volatile picture for the future of German democracy, demanding urgent reflection and potential reform to restore public faith and ensure the continued legitimacy of the political process. The survey’s methodology, involving face-to-face interviews with 1,029 individuals, adds a level of credibility to these findings, emphasizing their significance.
