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Germany has weathered the pandemic well so far. But currently the number of cases is increasing again. How does this affect people’s attitudes? The pulse of Germany gives it away.
Germany is increasingly being hit by a second corona wave. The number of infections is increasing and, with it, nervousness in politics. This week, the federal states agreed to stricter rules for domestic travel. New measures are likely to be followed. But not all countries are making progress. Approaches often differ considerably from region to region. The result is a patchwork quilt where in the end no one really knows what applies now and what does not.
Politics again tests the patience of the population in the crisis of the Crown. As can be seen from the pulse of Germany, which the opinion research institute Civey collects for t-online, the groups of those who are satisfied or dissatisfied with the work of politics in general are currently roughly the same. About 40 percent now believe that German politicians are capable of solving the country’s most important problems. About 44.5 percent have the opposite opinion.
Compared to previous Deutschland-Puls evaluations, this is a remarkable development. Since the introduction of this barometer, confidence in the problem-solving skills of politics has fluctuated between a weak 10 and 15 percent. That fundamentally changed with the spread of the corona pandemic in the spring. The proportion of those who rated the work of decision makers in federal, state and local authorities as positive rose rapidly in March and April: to just under 42 percent in late April and then to 49 percent in mid-July. , the highest values recorded so far. The negative ratings fell below 36 percent. Mind you: the statistics record general satisfaction with German policy, not just Crown policy in particular.
The mood changes
But that also means that there has been a slight change in mood in recent weeks. Since it has become clear that the crown-related restrictions will increase rather than decrease again in the fall and that the associated economic and social burdens will last longer, the number of those who are satisfied with the work of politics has also decreased slightly again.
A general dissatisfaction with political work, reflected in the values at the beginning of the year, cannot yet be derived from the slightly modified trend.
For those surveyed, the area of health, pension and social policy continues to be the one most in need of action, even in the days of Corona. A good 23 percent currently see it that way. In April, the value was even 35 percent, which could have had something to do with the particularly high level of care given to coping with the pandemic.
Decrease fear of unemployment
In the same context, attention to the economy and the labor market also increased. Meanwhile, nearly 28 percent of those surveyed saw a particularly great need to act here, currently it’s just over 17 percent. At the beginning of the year, only 10 percent of respondents rated this area as a matter of urgency.
Migration and integration are currently in second place, having fallen to fourth place in spring and summer. About 20 percent see a great need for action in this area, positioning migration and integration today between health / pensions and social issues, as well as the economy and the labor market.
General life satisfaction for German citizens has returned to the pre-crisis level of the Crown after a twist in the spring. In April and May, at the height of the first corona wave, this value had fallen below 68 percent.
Currently, 73 percent of those surveyed are satisfied with their life again, 16 percent are not. Eleven percent are undecided on the issue. For comparison: at the beginning of the year, 74 percent were satisfied compared to nearly 14 percent dissatisfied.
