ARD-DeutschlandTREND

„I am worried about my savings.“

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Satisfaction with...

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Satisfaction with the Federal Government

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Vote Intention June 2010

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The citizens obviously became aware that the financial crisis is not over yet and that Germany will be heavily affected due to the Greek crisis and the pressure on the euro. 75 percent fear that the worst of the crisis is yet to come - an increase of 19 points within a month. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds (67 percent) worry about their savings. Furthermore, one half holds that standard of living is declining in the next few years.

A majority (65 percent) considers the billions of guarantees for the protection of the euro as wrong. Only 35 percent believe that the euro-rescue is without alternative. At the same time, every second person accuses the Federal Government of not having acted fast and unhesitant enough. However, 82 percent of the population state that a stable euro is in the German interest in the end.

A minority of only 29 percent believes that household debt may be balanced only by savings. Almost two thirds (64 percent), however, are of the opinion that tax increases are necessary to do so. Education, family and health are the areas that should be excluded from retrenchments. Only 32 percent call for the introduction of a financial transaction tax with no ifs and buts - even if this means a unilateral German approach. Almost every second person supports such a tax, provided that the euro countries (18 percent) or the major industrialized countries (28 percent) come to an agreement. Only 14 percent oppose taxation of financial transactions in principle.

The critical assessment of the Federal Governments’ crisis management affects their overall performance: only one fifth (20 percent) of Germans is satisfied with the black-yellow coalition, a decrease of 6 points compared to the previous month. This is the lowest value for the current coalition. Above all, the head of government is struck by this loss of reputation: Angela Merkel must accept a decline of 10 points within a month. Since only 48 percent are satisfied with her work, the Chancellor falls behind the Minister of Defence Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (61 percent, +/- 0) and Employment Minister Ursula von der Leyen (56 percent, -2). Merkel has scored lower only once throughout her chancellorship.

The political atmosphere has a negative effect on the government parties: The Union would achieve 33 percent, a decrease of two points compared to May. The Liberals could count on 8 percent (-1). Social Democrats (27 percent) and Left Party (11 percent) could each gain one point. The Greens can keep their top score and would achieve 16 percent. In the light of the debt crisis, almost 6 in 10 citizens (58 percent) deem a grand coalition better than the black-yellow.

These are the main results of ARD-DeutschlandTREND in June, conducted by Infratest dimap on behalf of ARD-Tagesthemen and five daily newspapers. In a representative survey among eligible voters in Germany, 1.000 persons were questioned and 1.500 for the voting preference poll by telephone May 25th and 26th. The survey design allows for generalization of results to the German voting population, with an error margin of 1.4 to 3.1 percentage points.