German fears 2024: Increasing living costs and migration in focus

German fears 2024: Increasing living costs and migration in focus

Wiesbaden (ots)

In a recent survey by the R+V Versicherung Infocenter, the greatest fears of the Germans were determined. With 57 percent of the vote, concern for increasing living costs is the most frequently mentioned fear. These results come from the representative study "The Fears of German 2024", which was carried out for the 33rd time and interviewed 2,400 people about their concerns about politics, society, business and the environment.

The study illustrates that this economic aspect is still of the greatest importance for many people. "High collective bargaining and a slow price increase could not reduce the concerns of the Germans," explains Grischa Brower-Rabinowitsch, the head of study. The still worrying inflation and uncertainty in the economy have caused many citizens to question their financial security.

social worries increase

The fear of economic uncertainty goes hand in hand with social fears. 56 percent of the participants fear that the number of refugees overwhelms the authorities. This concern is in second place in the survey and shows that migration is an important topic for many Germans. Professor Dr. Isabelle Borucki explains that in times of multiple crises, such as the geopolitical situation and persistent wars, people often feel the feeling of fainting. This is moving the focus on individual financial challenges.

The topic of living also remains a hot iron: over 52 percent of those surveyed fear that living will become priceless. These worries are not a novelty and have been shown in the rankings for years. The combination of rising prices and limited living space creates an unfavorable environment that can be accompanied by social explosive power, Professor Borucki continues.

The overall mood of the Germans has lightened up slightly: the so -called anxiety index has dropped from 45 percent in the previous year to 42 percent. This could indicate that despite the current challenges, people look a little more optimistic into the future.

The decline in fears from high living costs and the housing market, which could be reduced by eight percentage points each, is particularly striking. In 2023, these topics were still central in the concerns of the population, now surveys show that the fears have relativized, which may be due to an increase in financial resources among the citizens.

immigration and changes

The debate about migration still has an impact on people's fears. Especially in East German federal states, more citizens express concerns about immigration, while in the West there is a slightly lower concern about it. 60 percent of the respondents from East Germany are concerned that the state is overwhelmed with immigration, this value is 55 percent in the west.

Another alarming result of the study shows the increase in fear of political extremism. This concern has increased by eight percent, with 46 percent of the respondents say that they feel uncomfortable. Compared to previous surveys, concern about right -wing extremists and Islamist threats is strongly pronounced and makes the respondents nervous.

A very little worrying topic is the fear of increasing unemployment, where only 30 percent of the respondents expect reversals. "The citizens worry less about their own workplace, which is positive," said Brower Rabinovich. These results can be interpreted as a sign of a more stable labor market situation.

The people interviewed are also afraid that authoritarian leaders could gain influence. 46 percent are concerned about this. However, fear of natural disasters and climate change in recent years, although things appear to be worrying in the context of climate change.

The R+V study has been providing the public with valuable insights into the concerns of the Germans since 1992 and during this time there were various changes in the fears of the citizens. This continuous survey, which is carried out every few years, provides a comprehensive picture of the sensitivities of the population and their concerns about future developments.

More information about the study can be found at www.die-aengste-der-deutschen.de