One in four Germans 'believe in political conspiracy theories'
Populism and belief in conspiracies are widespread in Germany, with one in four people convinced that politics is controlled by "secret forces", according to the results of a new survey.
The University of Hohenheim survey also revealed that one-fifth of Germans believed they were "systematically lied to" by the country's mass media.
"Overall, about one-third of German citizens hold a broadly defined right-wing populist worldview," said communication scientist Frank Brettschneider as he presented the survey results on Tuesday.
Approximately one in six respondents (16 percent) also agreed with the statement that the country now resembled "more of a dictatorship than a democracy."
The opinion research institute Forsa conducted the survey on behalf of the University of Hohenheim in July 2023, questioning a total of 4,024 German citizens.
According to Brettschneider, the worldview of a large group of respondents was becoming more entrenched and gaining in popularity:
"Between 2022 and 2023, satisfaction with the functioning of democracy has decreased by ten percentage points," said the researcher from Stuttgart.
READ ALSO: Think 'fake news' can't endanger lives in Germany? Think again
Trust in the federal government decreased more than for any other institution between 2022 and 2023.
"If this frustration, this dissatisfaction, becomes entrenched, then scapegoats are sought and people construct their own world and truths," Brettschneider said. "And this kind of construction has never been as easy as it is today," he told the DPA news agency.
Brettschneider's team presented 22 statements to the participants, some of which contained conspiracy narratives. The respondents were asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with these statements.
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The University of Hohenheim survey also revealed that one-fifth of Germans believed they were "systematically lied to" by the country's mass media.
"Overall, about one-third of German citizens hold a broadly defined right-wing populist worldview," said communication scientist Frank Brettschneider as he presented the survey results on Tuesday.
Approximately one in six respondents (16 percent) also agreed with the statement that the country now resembled "more of a dictatorship than a democracy."
The opinion research institute Forsa conducted the survey on behalf of the University of Hohenheim in July 2023, questioning a total of 4,024 German citizens.
According to Brettschneider, the worldview of a large group of respondents was becoming more entrenched and gaining in popularity:
"Between 2022 and 2023, satisfaction with the functioning of democracy has decreased by ten percentage points," said the researcher from Stuttgart.
READ ALSO: Think 'fake news' can't endanger lives in Germany? Think again
Trust in the federal government decreased more than for any other institution between 2022 and 2023.
"If this frustration, this dissatisfaction, becomes entrenched, then scapegoats are sought and people construct their own world and truths," Brettschneider said. "And this kind of construction has never been as easy as it is today," he told the DPA news agency.
Brettschneider's team presented 22 statements to the participants, some of which contained conspiracy narratives. The respondents were asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with these statements.
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