Germany: Voters Are Skeptical of Reform Proposals

Germany's leaders recently announced a set of 34 reforms they say will fix major problems in the country. The plans cover everything from pensions and health care to tax cuts and climate change. But a new survey called the Deutschlandtrend shows that most German voters are not convinced the reforms will work. The poll was conducted by the research firm infratest dimap from June 29 to July 1, with 1,317 eligible voters taking part.

The governing coalition is made up of three parties: the conservative CDU and CSU, and the center-left SPD. Their leaders met for seven hours at the Chancellery on July 2 to agree on the reform package. They hoped the deal would show Germans that the government could get things done. However, the public response has been far from enthusiastic.

Germany has been struggling with an economic crisis for about seven years. Around three-quarters of voters say the sluggish economy is a major problem for the country. On top of that, one in four employed people are worried about losing their jobs. Concerns about immigration have eased a little, but a slim majority still worries about too many foreigners coming into the country.

Climate change is also a growing worry for many Germans. In June, Germany experienced a record-breaking heat wave, with temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. More than two-thirds of people now fear that global warming could destroy the basic conditions needed for life on Earth. This concern is pushing many to demand action from their leaders.

Nearly 89% of those surveyed want the government to spend more money preparing infrastructure — like roads, schools, and hospitals — for future heat waves. About 58% say climate protection should not be ignored, even during other crises. However, voters of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, known as the AfD, strongly disagree — 71% of AfD voters do not think climate protection should stay a priority. There is also a split on who should be responsible: 59% think industry should do more than individual people, but 54% oppose raising prices on products to cover environmental costs.

The pension system is another big area of concern. Germany's population is aging, which means fewer working-age people must support a growing number of retirees. This puts a heavy burden on younger workers and is seen as unfair. More than half of working Germans worry they will not have enough money when they retire.

A group of experts put together a pension reform plan in June, and the government has decided to follow all of their suggestions. Some ideas are popular, like requiring politicians and corporate board members to pay into the national pension system. A majority of voters also support a new savings plan where employers and employees contribute equally. But ideas like raising the retirement age or ending early retirement at 63 for long-term workers are deeply unpopular.

Overall, Germans are not optimistic about the reform package. Only three in ten voters think it will make things fairer between older and younger generations. Among people under 35, that number drops to just two in ten. This shows a deep lack of trust in the government's ability to fix long-standing problems.

Public trust in the government has hit a new low. A striking 86% of voters say they are not satisfied with how the ruling coalition is doing its job. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has an approval rating of just 13%, the lowest ever recorded for him. Even among supporters of the governing parties, satisfaction is low.

If a national election were held today, the AfD would come in first with 27% of the vote. The CDU/CSU would fall to 22%, its lowest level since November 2021, and the SPD would drop to 12%. The Greens would sit at 15% and The Left at 11%. Several smaller parties, including the FDP at 4%, would not make it into parliament because they failed to reach the required 5% threshold.