Majority of Germans have 'lost faith' in government’s Covid management
A survey by Spiegel reveals that almost two-thirds of Germans are dissatisfied with the traffic light coalition's management of the pandemic.
The last couple of months have been a torrid time for the German government in the Covid pandemic: plans for 'Freedom Day' were postponed amid backlash from the states, the vote on compulsory vaccination failed in the Bundestag, and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) recently backtracked on plans to make self-isolation voluntary for people with Covid.
READ ALSO: German parliament rejects over-60s vaccine mandate
It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that a survey by Spiegel reveals that almost two-thirds of a representative sample of the German population have lost faith in the government's management of the pandemic.
Asked whether they had lost trust in Covid politics in Germany "as a result of the actions of the federal government in recent weeks", 43 percent answered "yes, definitely", and 20 percent answered "yes".
Researchers interviewed a representative sample of 5,000 people between April 8th and April 11th. Survey participants were also asked to give details of their political views and affiliations.
The loss of trust was strongest in supporters of the AfD (82 percent) and the CDU/CSU (72 percent) - the two largest parties on the opposition benches in parliament.
The survey also revealed a loss of faith in the Federal Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach.
READ ALSO: German Health Minister to target undecided in new Covid jab campaign
Asked how satisfied they were with Lauterbach's Covid crisis management, only 29 percent answered "rather satisfied" or "satisfied". In comparison, 57 percent were either "less than satisfied" or "completely unsatisfied".
Respondents aligned with Lauterbach's party – the SPD – proved to be most satisfied with the Health Minister's work. Just over half (51 percent) of those who reported being "rather satisfied" or "satisfied" with Lauterbach's handling of the pandemic were SPD supporters.
READ ALSO: ‘Mistake’: German Health Minister makes U-turn on voluntary Covid isolation
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The last couple of months have been a torrid time for the German government in the Covid pandemic: plans for 'Freedom Day' were postponed amid backlash from the states, the vote on compulsory vaccination failed in the Bundestag, and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) recently backtracked on plans to make self-isolation voluntary for people with Covid.
READ ALSO: German parliament rejects over-60s vaccine mandate
It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that a survey by Spiegel reveals that almost two-thirds of a representative sample of the German population have lost faith in the government's management of the pandemic.
Asked whether they had lost trust in Covid politics in Germany "as a result of the actions of the federal government in recent weeks", 43 percent answered "yes, definitely", and 20 percent answered "yes".
Researchers interviewed a representative sample of 5,000 people between April 8th and April 11th. Survey participants were also asked to give details of their political views and affiliations.
The loss of trust was strongest in supporters of the AfD (82 percent) and the CDU/CSU (72 percent) - the two largest parties on the opposition benches in parliament.
The survey also revealed a loss of faith in the Federal Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach.
READ ALSO: German Health Minister to target undecided in new Covid jab campaign
Asked how satisfied they were with Lauterbach's Covid crisis management, only 29 percent answered "rather satisfied" or "satisfied". In comparison, 57 percent were either "less than satisfied" or "completely unsatisfied".
Respondents aligned with Lauterbach's party – the SPD – proved to be most satisfied with the Health Minister's work. Just over half (51 percent) of those who reported being "rather satisfied" or "satisfied" with Lauterbach's handling of the pandemic were SPD supporters.
READ ALSO: ‘Mistake’: German Health Minister makes U-turn on voluntary Covid isolation
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