• Germany edition
Society
Photo: DPA

Germans trust political parties least, police most

Published: 7 Feb 13 12:34 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20130207-47825.html

Germans overwhelmingly trust the police and judicial authorities, while distrusting large corporations and political parties, a new study suggests.

Trust has declined slightly over the past year for all institutions apart from the government, which has experienced a five-point increase, the Global Trust Report conducted by the non-profit market research group GfK.

The percentage of Germans who trust the police remained solid at 81 percent at the start of this year, compared with 85 percent 12 months ago. The judicial system came next with 65 percent of people expressing trust, and then public administration and the military followed, with 58 and 57 percent trust respectively.

The least trusted institutions were political parties on 16 percent, and corporations with 26 percent.

The results seem to confirm other studies which suggest Chancellor Angela Merkel is her party and government's greatest asset, Raimund Wildner, GfK manager told Die Welt newspaper.

He said the five percentage point increase in trust shown in the government was due to the positive impression people have of Merkel's handling of the euro crisis.

Looking in more detail, the study showed the most trust was invoked by the most traditional - with craftsmen enjoying the complete trust of 87 percent of those questioned. After them came manufacturers of domestic appliances with 78 percent, and car makers with 71 percent.

Banks came off particularly badly, with a loss of seven percentage points over the last year putting them down to 29 percent. "Not even one in three citizens trusts this branch," said Wildner. He suggested, "the recent scandals are taking effect, from interest rate manipulation to raids on suspicion of aiding tax evasion."

The Local/hc

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

13:28 February 7, 2013 by grazhdanin
which crisis?
13:29 February 7, 2013 by pepsionice
As an American who lived for years in Germany....I'd personally vouch for their cops. When they say you did something wrong....it's a 98-percent chance they are right. It's a chosen profession, and they spend actual class-time learning how to apply the law. And if you were stupid enough to challenge them....they absolutely will apply physical force of an extreme nature on you. I've seen drunks who were laid quickly down on asphalt....when necessary.
14:51 February 7, 2013 by mitanni
Germany's civil servants are generally very professional and stick precisely to the law. That's a two edged sword, though, because it is those untrusted politicians who tell them what to do...
16:05 February 7, 2013 by twisted
As an long ago ex-police officer in the US, it is nice to know that the police are trusted here. As for politicians, no surprise there...hell, they're not trusted anywhere. And bankers...they are legitimate thieves (because of the politicans who are in their pockets).
20:04 February 7, 2013 by Bigfoot76
See "Justice minister brushes off drink-driving offence" Enough said.
21:08 February 7, 2013 by raandy
I never really trust the police,

first rule of law.... All police lie and all Judges believe them.
06:59 February 8, 2013 by RainerL
Hmmmm? Seems like a World wide trend not trusting Pollies.. What's New?
10:38 February 8, 2013 by belladons
Politicians are classified as the legal mafia. I will always trust a police officer before I will ever trust a dirt bag politician. In fact, when talking to a politician, listen very closely.
13:23 February 8, 2013 by Englishted
The judicial system in Germany is a complete dogs dinner ,the law of the land is applied differently in different states ,that plus giving lawyers the choice of which court to have a trial because they know which court normal rules which way.

For example a ruling on the law was given at the Supreme Court in Karlsruhe has been completely ignored by courts in Hamburg and München (Parents not liable if kids download illegally)

Published: 16 Nov 12 07:47 in The Local.

The people who agreed with this in the poll must have had no experience of a better system because as I have said this one is rubbish as it is inconsistent.
21:29 February 9, 2013 by raandy
After reading about the Munich girl with the broken nose and eye damage after being punched by German police while her hands were hand cuffed behind her back for asking for help from an abusive boyfriend , leaves me no doubt about how un professional the Munich police are.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Bayern defeat Dortmund in Wembley thriller

Arjen Robben scored a heart-stopping 89th-minute winner to earn Bayern Munich a dramatic 2-1 win over German rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday after a thrilling Champions League final at London's Wembley Stadium. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Merkel: business must fight immigrant prejudice

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday called on Germans to fight prejudice against immigrants ahead of next week's integration summit. READ () »

Chinese premier visit to strengthen trade ties

Chinese premier visit to strengthen trade ties

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday as the two export powerhouses seek to further strengthen economic ties amid brewing trade spats between Beijing and the EU. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Skyscraper festival hits new heights in Frankfurt

Frankfurt city skyline is being celebrated this weekend with a skyscraper extravaganza. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to witness spectacular events, daring feats and music in the sky. READ () »

Workers get Berlin's fan mile ready ahead of Saturday's final. Photo: DPA

Police put Germany on terror alert for CL final

German security services have been put on high alert after picking up terror warnings for public viewings of Saturday night's all-German Champions League final. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Helicopter sprays 220 kids with insecticide

15 young children were taken to hospital late on Friday after bug-busting authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia accidentally dumped toxic insecticide over a primary school during playtime. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Bundesbank chief: allow eurozone defaults

The head of the German central Bundesbank Jens Weidmann said on Friday that eurozone countries should be able to default, a possibility which the EU has gone to great lengths to avoid during the current crisis. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Nationwide cannabis limit rolls nearer

Germany could in the future have a country-wide “tolerable limit” for cannabis possession, it was reported on Friday. Currently, this amount differs between states. READ () »

More Society
RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS
Highlights
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
The country's most revered and reviled composer, Richard Wagner is our German of the week in time for his 200th birthday.
Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: M&S Photo: Private Photo: Katie Needs Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: A Peoples' Picture Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Monster/jobpilot.de Furniture Leasing Corporation Photo: Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se



Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Sweden

More news from Sweden at thelocal.se

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

916 jobs available
642 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
  • So You Want to Be an Artist
    The tradition of hands-on training in the arts is alive and well in Germany. Interested in studying visual, performance, or sound arts? Keen to pursue graphic and product design, textiles, or typography? Germany is home to many exceptional art schools as well as a rich history of excellence in and support for the arts.
  • Frankfurt's Skyscrapers: A Guide
    Frankfurt is known for banks and skyscrapers. So what is behind the colossal glass, steel, and stone facades of the city’s buildings? Meet Frankfurt’s tallest.
  • Conference - Pioneers on Dual Training Abroad
    Germany‘s system of dual training is one of the foundations of its economic strength.
  • The all-German final in Wembley
    Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund are playing in the final of the Champions League at London’s Wembley Stadium.
  • German first feature film in Cannes
    A directorial debut from Germany makes it to the competition “Un Certain Regard” at the famous film festival on the Côte d’Azur.
News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Little house in Spain
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Albatross Insurance
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.