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Smaller celebrations and masks on the street: The new measures in view of the increase in the number of crown are supported by a majority. Another topic: 30 years of unity. East and West Germans respond differently here.
Von Ellen Ehni, WDR
Private celebrations in the days of Corona: It was one of the controversial topics on which the prime ministers and the chancellor agreed on Tuesday. For example, the upper limits will apply in the future for celebrations in public spaces in regions with higher infection rates. A measure that most Germans find generally good. 85 percent say it is going in the right direction to only allow private celebrations like birthdays or weddings for up to 50 guests. 13 percent believe that such a move is going in the wrong direction.
Most Germans also see mandatory masks on busy public streets and squares, as is currently the case in Munich, for example, as a positive: 63 percent think that the requirement to wear mouth and nose protection in such crowded places it is a step in the right direction; for 34 percent, such a move goes in the wrong direction.
More uniformity and more personal responsibility is desired
Most Germans would like more uniformity when fighting the corona pandemic. Four out of five Germans (78 percent) think the federal states should act more consistently; one in five (20 percent) does not think so. At the same time, a narrow majority of Germans believe that in the crisis of the Crown, above all, one must rely on the personal responsibility of the people rather than strict rules. 54 percent agree with this statement; 43 percent disagree. It is particularly important for the people of the East German federal states to prioritize the personal responsibility of the people: among East Germans, this approach is supported by two-thirds (65 percent); one third (32 percent) do not agree with the corresponding statement.
An overwhelming majority of Germans meet again at another point: 92 percent think that the Crown crisis can only be overcome if people in Germany show more solidarity with each other; 7 percent do not agree with this statement.
Every second person worries about the long-term consequences of the crown
The fear of being infected with Corona has increased somewhat: 36 percent of Germans are currently very or very concerned that they or members of their family may be infected with the Corona virus, 10 points more than in September. For 64 percent, this concern is currently less or less: 9 points less than in September.
More than half of Germans are very concerned about the possible long-term damage of a corona infection. For 53 percent, the concern about it is great (34 percent) or very great (19 percent). Concern for possible long-term damage is less than 30 percent, small at 15 percent.
Little movement on Sunday’s theme
If the general elections were on Sunday, the Union would obtain 35 percent, one point less than in the previous month. The SPD worsened by two points to 15 percent. AfD and FDP are stable at 10 and 6 percent respectively. The left improves by one point and reaches 8 percent. The Greens earn two points and reach 21 percent.
Most Germans still give the current cabinet a good report: 62 percent of Germans are currently very satisfied or satisfied with the work of the federal government. That is 4 percentage points less than in the previous month; in September, government satisfaction reached a record 66 percent. 37 percent of Germans are less or not satisfied with the work of the federal government (+4). By the way, most people are currently satisfied with the federal government in both the federal states of East Germany (54 percent) and West Germany (63 percent).
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ARD Germany trend from October 1, 2020
A third are unhappy with the state of democracy
Beyond that, how do Germans view their country, 30 years after German unification? The majority, 64 percent of citizens, are satisfied with the way democracy works in Germany. On the other hand, 35 percent are less or not satisfied with it. However, if you look at the West and the East, the values are very different: in the West German federal states, 68 percent are satisfied with the state of democracy, in the East German federal states only 50 percent , that is, only every second.
Of the ARD Germany trend has raised the question of satisfaction with democracy on several occasions for more than 20 years. A higher level of satisfaction was found in the western federal states than in eastern Germany. Compared to the previous survey in March 2019, satisfaction levels in the West have not changed; for eastern people it has decreased by 3 percentage points.
Thirty years after reunification, just over half of the East German population (55 percent) feel more like German; four in ten (41 percent), however, feel more like East Germans. In the West German federal states, one in six (16 percent) feel more like West Germany; 78 percent, on the other hand, feel more German.
30 years of German unity: advantages and disadvantages
Most people in West and East Germany value the current state of freedom of expression positively in comparison with historical comparison: 85 percent of West Germans say that the situation in Germany today is better with regard to freedom of expression than in the RDA. Two-thirds of East Germans say that (68 percent). One in five from East Germany (19 percent), on the other hand, said the state of free speech was better in the GDR.
69 percent of West Germans and 56 percent of East Germans view the healthcare system as positive compared to the GDR. In both groups, the rating has improved compared to November 2019, that is, before the corona pandemic, by 10 and 9 percentage points, respectively.
There are different opinions about the school system: among West Germans, almost half (47 percent) say that it is better today than in the GDR; 23 percent think it was better in the GDR. The majority (54 percent) of East Germans think that the school system in the GDR was better; In comparison, 29 percent find it better today. There are also different ratings for early childhood care: 37 percent of West Germans say it is better today; 35 percent think the situation was better in the GDR. One in two East Germans (51 percent) said early childhood care was better in the GDR; 27 percent think the situation is better today.
When it comes to social cohesion, a relative majority of West Germans (42 percent) also say that the situation was better in the GDR; 36 percent think that social cohesion is higher in Germany today. Three-quarters of East Germans (74 percent) say that social cohesion was highest in the GDR.
