* **Trust keeps falling:** Only **23%** of respondents now say Germany’s public sector is capable of fulfilling its tasks; **73%** think the state is overburdened (a record low/high, respectively). In 2020, 56% still believed it was capable. ([DIE ZEIT](https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2025-09/buergerbefragung-vertrauen-staat-deutscher-beamtenbund))
* **East–West gap:** In eastern Germany, just **17%** consider the state capable (West: 24%).
* **Where people see the state overwhelmed:** Most often named are **asylum & refugee policy (30%)**, then **social security/pensions (16%)**, **schools & education (15%)**, **tax & fiscal policy (13%)**, **internal security (12%)**, and **healthcare (11%)**.
* **What citizens want improved:** **Less and simpler bureaucracy (85%)**, **faster processing (79%)**, more **online services (66%)**, and clearer **responsibilities (58%)**. About **53%** think digitization will substantially improve state performance, while 43% are skeptical.
* **Costs:** For the first time in years, a **majority (50%)** say the public sector costs taxpayers too much (41% disagree).
* **New federal government expectations:** Only **22%** believe the new CDU/CSU–SPD government will strengthen state performance more than the previous coalition; **70%** expect little change. Skepticism is strongest in the East (82% “no change”).
* **Respect for professions:** Firefighters lead public esteem (**92%** rate them highly), followed by **nurses (89%)**, **elder-care workers (87%)**, and **physicians (82%)**. Police are at **79%**; kindergarten educators **77%**. Civil servants are at **35%**. Lowest esteem: **telecom call-center staff (12%)**, **politicians (11%)**, **insurance agents (7%)**, **ad-agency staff (5%)**.
* **Incidents against staff:** About **half of public-sector employees** report being obstructed, harassed, insulted, or attacked at work; **46%** have witnessed assaults on colleagues. ([DIE ZEIT](https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2025-09/buergerbefragung-vertrauen-staat-deutscher-beamtenbund))
We never had confidence in any government because they are all corrupt lobbyists.
Scared_Research_8426 on
Surveys arr used to create consensus not report it
Deepfire_DM on
I’m more surprised there was a “confidence” in the first place.
Anthyrion on
We could have had Robert Habeck as a potential chancellor. But the CDU and BILD have thrown so much dirt at him and his party over the last three years that it’s understandable that he’s throwing in the towel.
Instead, we have to settle for a man as chancellor who was kept in check by Merkel. And rightly so, as we can now see. Instead of taxing the rich in the country, they prefer to trample on those who already have little. In our case, the unemployed.
federkrebz on
sounds weirdly anti european and pro-afd, in other words bullshit that’s to be ignored
dumnezero on
Tax the rich and use that for *society*, including constructing institutions that work (re: rights, laws). That’s how confidence grows.
Keep allowing the rich and privileged to have impunity and watch that confidence hit the floor.
Fastluck83 on
My wife is working in the public sector (öffentlicher Dienst) and since I know first hand with how many ancient and overcomplicated workflows they have to deal with, combined with some coworkers that would have been fired from any private company long ago (30 years of doing the same job, still asking basic questions), the speed with which the German state operates doesn’t surprise me anymore.
Something needs to be done, not even AI can’t fix this mess.
Hendrik1011 on
Our chancellor is unbelievably out of touch with working class people.
9 commenti
AI summary:
* **Trust keeps falling:** Only **23%** of respondents now say Germany’s public sector is capable of fulfilling its tasks; **73%** think the state is overburdened (a record low/high, respectively). In 2020, 56% still believed it was capable. ([DIE ZEIT](https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2025-09/buergerbefragung-vertrauen-staat-deutscher-beamtenbund))
* **East–West gap:** In eastern Germany, just **17%** consider the state capable (West: 24%).
* **Where people see the state overwhelmed:** Most often named are **asylum & refugee policy (30%)**, then **social security/pensions (16%)**, **schools & education (15%)**, **tax & fiscal policy (13%)**, **internal security (12%)**, and **healthcare (11%)**.
* **What citizens want improved:** **Less and simpler bureaucracy (85%)**, **faster processing (79%)**, more **online services (66%)**, and clearer **responsibilities (58%)**. About **53%** think digitization will substantially improve state performance, while 43% are skeptical.
* **Costs:** For the first time in years, a **majority (50%)** say the public sector costs taxpayers too much (41% disagree).
* **New federal government expectations:** Only **22%** believe the new CDU/CSU–SPD government will strengthen state performance more than the previous coalition; **70%** expect little change. Skepticism is strongest in the East (82% “no change”).
* **Respect for professions:** Firefighters lead public esteem (**92%** rate them highly), followed by **nurses (89%)**, **elder-care workers (87%)**, and **physicians (82%)**. Police are at **79%**; kindergarten educators **77%**. Civil servants are at **35%**. Lowest esteem: **telecom call-center staff (12%)**, **politicians (11%)**, **insurance agents (7%)**, **ad-agency staff (5%)**.
* **Incidents against staff:** About **half of public-sector employees** report being obstructed, harassed, insulted, or attacked at work; **46%** have witnessed assaults on colleagues. ([DIE ZEIT](https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2025-09/buergerbefragung-vertrauen-staat-deutscher-beamtenbund))
**Sources:** the ZEIT report summarizing the 2025 *dbb Bürgerbefragung* and the underlying forsa survey PDF. ([DIE ZEIT](https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2025-09/buergerbefragung-vertrauen-staat-deutscher-beamtenbund))
We never had confidence in any government because they are all corrupt lobbyists.
Surveys arr used to create consensus not report it
I’m more surprised there was a “confidence” in the first place.
We could have had Robert Habeck as a potential chancellor. But the CDU and BILD have thrown so much dirt at him and his party over the last three years that it’s understandable that he’s throwing in the towel.
Instead, we have to settle for a man as chancellor who was kept in check by Merkel. And rightly so, as we can now see. Instead of taxing the rich in the country, they prefer to trample on those who already have little. In our case, the unemployed.
sounds weirdly anti european and pro-afd, in other words bullshit that’s to be ignored
Tax the rich and use that for *society*, including constructing institutions that work (re: rights, laws). That’s how confidence grows.
Keep allowing the rich and privileged to have impunity and watch that confidence hit the floor.
My wife is working in the public sector (öffentlicher Dienst) and since I know first hand with how many ancient and overcomplicated workflows they have to deal with, combined with some coworkers that would have been fired from any private company long ago (30 years of doing the same job, still asking basic questions), the speed with which the German state operates doesn’t surprise me anymore.
Something needs to be done, not even AI can’t fix this mess.
Our chancellor is unbelievably out of touch with working class people.