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Euro and politicians top list of German fears

It's no longer fear of terrorism or war that keeps Germans up at night - it's the heft of their wallets. A new study found that fears of the euro crisis and the incompetence of politicians to deal with it have grown bigger than anything else.

Euro and politicians top list of German fears
Photo: DPA

The annual fear survey, carried out by insurer R+V-Versicherung, found that three-quarters of Germans are worried “that they will have to pick up the bill for the euro debt crisis,” said Rita Jakli, director of the R+V Infocenter.

Meanwhile, two-thirds are worried that the status of the euro will be harmed by the ongoing crisis.

Germany’s top three long-term fears in order are: higher cost of living (63 percent), politicians being unable to cope (55 percent), and a worsening economic climate (52 percent).

But surprisingly, despite the ongoing economic worries, only 32 percent of Germans fear losing their job – down by four percentage points on last year, and the lowest share since 1994.

The fear of a terrorist attack has also sunk to 39 percent, the lowest rating since the September 11 2001 attacks in the US. Only 29 percent are afraid of a war with German participation.

The survey has questioned around 2,500 Germans aged over 14 for over two decades, measuring certain basic fears every year. This year, the euro crisis and nuclear energy were also added to the list.

The survey also uncovered a clear east-west divide. In the states of the former East Germany, economic issues were of a much higher concern, while in the former West, people worried more about environmental issues.

The Local/bk

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