Trump tops list of Germans’ fears ahead of terrorism and immigration, survey finds
What’s keeping most Germans from getting a good night’s sleep? A survey has found that beating international terrorism, illegal immigration, and economic worries is none other than the US president. Well, his policies at least.
Asking a sample of 2,400 Germans between June 8 and July 18 of this year, the multiple choice questionnaire found that 69 percent of Germans deemed Trump’s policies and attitude to allies were having a dangerous impact across the globe.
"Trump's ruthless “America First” politics, his aggression with regards to international arrangements and his equally aggressive trade and security politics, even towards allied countries, scare the majority of the population," Professor Manfred G Schmidt, who served as a consultant for R+V told German media outlet Deutsche Welle.
Conducted by insurance company R+V Versicherungen, “The fears of Germans”survey has been documenting German citizen’s fears since 1992. The fear of Trump’s policies had the sixth highest percentage recorded in the survey over 14 years, according to the company.
Fear of Trump’s bellicose rhetoric and behavior was followed closely by anxiety over immigration.
The survey found that 63 percent of those asked felt that German authorities and institutions are unable to cope with refugees and asylum-seekers while the same percentage said they feared that increased migration will spark further tension between Germans and asylum-seekers and refugees.
Both figures are higher on last year’s percentages and the survey’s publication comes shortly after two asylum seekers were detained and charged with manslaughter over the death of an ethnic German in the city of Chemnitz. Protests organized by right-wing and anti-immigration groups have resulted in rioting in the city.
Further down the list is faith in politicians. While citizens of all countries love a good nag about their parliamentary representatives, 60 percent of Germans feel they are not up to the task. Only 6 percent of those asked rated them as “good” or “very good.”
For many years terrorism had ranked one of the highest in the minds of German’s fears – 73 percent in 2016 – after a spate of attacks across Europe by jihadists. While still high at 58 percent, it shares the number four spot with fears over the Eurozone debt crisis.
Green issues, however, are in the minds of less than one-in-two Germans with just 48 percent worries about climate change. More than half believe there will be more natural disasters in future.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!
