Latest Survey Reveals Majority of Germans Support Democracy
Around the world, authoritarian regimes are on the rise, populist groups are gaining momentum, and democratic societies face mounting pressure. War, inflation, and fears of economic decline are fuelling considerable uncertainty.
The Germany Monitor 2025 survey shows that the majority of Germans continue to believe in democracy, with support for democracy as a form of government actually increasing, particularly in eastern Germany. This was stated by the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, in Berlin on Thursday (19 February).
“It is a good thing that democracy as a form of government enjoys full support from citizens. Even in the east,” said Kaiser, who is also a member of parliament from the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Changes within democracy were the primary focus of the study. A representative sample of 4,000 respondents aged over 16 across Germany were surveyed from spring 2025 to September. The research was jointly conducted by the Centre for Social Studies in Halle, the University of Jena, and the Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS), and was funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany.
Kaiser noted that whilst 98% of respondents expressed belief in the idea of democracy, only 60% considered the current system to be functioning well. She also highlighted a lack of understanding regarding fundamental democratic principles: only 68% of respondents were aware that democracy means the government must comply with parliamentary decisions and the principle of separation of powers.
Some 21% of respondents showed openness to authoritarian governance. The researchers concluded that high levels of support for democracy do not mean “there is no one who supports autocratic or authoritarian transformation in society.”
Across Germany, 31% of respondents agreed with the statement that “Germany currently needs a single strong party that represents the will of all the people.” In the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany before 1990), the figure reached 35%. Nevertheless, only 4% of respondents agreed with the statement “under certain circumstances, a dictatorship is a better form of government.”
Germans Accept Change
Survey participants perceived the greatest shift in attitudes on the issue of defence. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, Germany has begun discussing increased defence investment, the strengthening of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces), and the reintroduction of conscription.
More recently, some Germans also feel they can no longer fully rely on military support from the United States under President Donald Trump.
Sociologist Reinhard Pollak from Mannheim, who led the research alongside seven colleagues, summarised their findings at a press conference in Berlin: “A quarter of the population wants change. Another quarter says: We are sceptical, this is too fast and too broad for us. And the neutral majority is ambivalent and says, ‘It depends.’ What surprised us was that there was such a clear picture, and society in general is not weary of change.”
Mixed Views on Immigration
The study also revealed that Germans hold diverse views on the controversial issue of immigration, which the conservative coalition government of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) seeks to restrict.
Some 68% of respondents considered it necessary for Germany to recruit skilled workers from abroad, and 59% believed the country should more actively promote the integration of immigrants. However, 28% of respondents felt the increase in immigration since 2015 had brought many negative changes.
This figure aligns with the national level of support for the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has made opposition to immigration a central campaign issue.
East-West Divide
The research also identified differences between eastern and western Germany. The research team found that in the west, optimism and willingness to accept change did not depend on whether respondents lived in affluent or disadvantaged areas. Conversely, in the east, economic factors played a significant role: residents of less prosperous areas tended to be more sceptical of the state and its institutions.
This was also reflected in assessments of the German reunification process since 1990. In western Germany, approximately 55% of respondents viewed reunification positively. In eastern Germany, supportive respondents varied in number. The figure reached 72% in economically stronger areas, particularly large cities, but only 49% in less economically developed regions.