Trust in institutions — Germany · Synthesis

Relatively high institutional trust. Compared with its neighbours, Germany retains trust in institutions (government, justice, police) that is above the European average (OECD, Eurobarometer), a legacy of a culture of post-war institutional stability.

Erosion under the effect of crises. Successive crises (energy, inflation, migration, governmental conflicts) have dented trust in the federal government and traditional parties. Satisfaction with government action has fallen sharply in the recent period (Politbarometer).

The rise of the AfD and polarisation. The advance of the far-right AfD party, particularly in the East, reflects distrust of elites and established parties. Political polarisation has intensified, posing an unprecedented challenge to Germany's culture of consensus.

An East-West divide. Institutional distrust and protest voting are markedly more pronounced in the eastern Länder, where a sense of marginalisation and socio-economic gaps persist (see Social cohesion category). This is a cleavage specific to Germany.

Trust in media and democracy. Trust in media is higher than in several countries, but under pressure from disinformation and polarisation. Satisfaction with how democracy functions remains a majority view but is declining.

Containing polarisation. The central challenge is responding to distrust and the rise of the extremes without fracturing the culture of consensus. The performance of institutions in the face of crises is decisive for restoring trust.

Reducing the East-West divide. Territorial cohesion and addressing the sense of marginalisation in the East are preconditions for democratic stability. This is a long-term challenge, linked to socio-economic gaps.

Information and disinformation. Preserving a reliable information environment, in the face of disinformation and generative AI, is a growing democratic challenge, monitored by the Eurobarometer.

Trust and state effectiveness. As the OECD underlines, trust depends on the perceived reliability and responsiveness of institutions. Difficulties in modernisation (administrative digitalisation) weigh on this perception.

The open questions. Three issues will shape the period: (1) containing polarisation and the rise of the extremes; (2) reducing the East-West divide; (3) preserving trust through effective public action.

Placed in its environment, Germany displays institutional trust rather above its Latin neighbours, but under growing strain — level comparisons remaining fragile.

Comparability warning. Trust levels depend strongly on question wording, scale and survey period. The OECD and Eurobarometer partially harmonise, but gaps may reflect methodological differences. Trends over time compare better than levels.

Two cautious takeaways. (1) Trust higher than average. Germans' trust in their government is generally higher than that of the French, British and Italians, closer to Nordic countries at the high end of the European spectrum.

(2) Rising polarisation. The recent specificity is the rise of polarisation and protest voting, especially in the East — a worrying convergence with dynamics observed elsewhere, in a country long marked by consensus.