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Majority of Germans dissatisfied with government and Scholz: poll

Olaf Scholz has failed to win over most Germans with his work as Chancellor, according to a recent survey carried out by opinion pollers Insa.

Published: 21 August 2022 12:10 CEST

olaf scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pictured at the Parliamentary Investigation Committee on the CumEx Tax Money Affair, at the city hall in Hamburg, northern Germany, on August 19, 2022. (Photo by Daniel Bockwoldt / AFP)

A total of 62 percent of those questioned said they were dissatisfied with Scholz’s work since he became Chancellor in December 2021, according to the poll, which was commissioned by German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

Only 25 percent rated Scholz positively.

People’s opinions of the so-called traffic light coalition government (SPD, FDP and Greens) were similarly poor: 65 percent rated the government’s work negatively while 27 percent said they were happy with the job they’d done so far.

The poll asked 1,000 people whether they were generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the work of the chancellor and the coalition government.

There were no questions on specific topics.

Positive opinion towards Scholz and his government has clearly deteriorated in recent months: a similar survey at the start of March found that 46 percent of those questioned were happy with Scholz’s work.

Only 39 percent said they were dissatisfied.

People’s feelings about the coalition government at that time were fairly equally split: 44 percent thought they were doing a good job, 43 percent thought they weren’t.

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German president decries 'violence' in politics after attacks

“We must never get used to violence in the battle of political opinions,” Steinmeier said at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the German constitution.

The basic law, promulgated in 1949, was a response to Germany’s experience with political violence during World War II, Steinmeier said.

“No one knew better than the mothers and fathers of the constitution how violence undermines a democracy and tears down its foundations,” Steinmeier said.

READ ALSO: ‘Grundgesetz’ – what does Germany’s Basic Law really mean?

The threat of political violence had again reared its head in Germany, the president said.

“We have received news of physical attacks on elected officials and politically active people almost every day,” he said.

“I am deeply concerned about the coarsening of political life in our country.”

READ ALSO: How politically motivated crimes are rising in Germany

Earlier this month, police arrested a man on suspicion of hitting a former mayor of Berlin in the head during a visit to a public library.

Franziska Giffey, who is now the Berlin state economy minister and a member of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), was treated in hospital for light injuries.

Giffey’s assault came just days after a European member of parliament, also from the SPD, had to be hospitalised after four people attacked him while he was out canvassing.

READ ALSO: Why are German politicians facing increasing attacks?

Senior members of the government have also been confronted by angry mobs in recent months, with Economy Minister Robert Habeck blocked from leaving a ferry by a group of protesters.

In his speech, Steinmeier also recalled the politically motivated murder of the conservative politician Walter Luebcke by neo-Nazis in 2019.

“His death is a reminder of how hate can turn into violence,” Steinmeier said.

This week also saw proceedings open against the alleged ringleaders of a group who are said to have planned to storm the German parliament and overthrow the government.

The group of so-called Reichsbuerger, who deny the legitimacy of the modern German republic, allegedly planned to take MPs hostage and had compiled “lists of enemies” to be eliminated, according to prosecutors.

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