Over half of young Germans do not trust their government: Study

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) - The majority of young Germans trust democracy, but 52% have no confidence in government bodies, according to a study conducted by the Foundation Bertelsmann Stiftung in collaboration with the Dutch market research institute Glocalities.

In the study titled "The Next Generation in Germany: Perspectives on Building a Sustainable Tomorrow," which was published on the Bertelsmann Stiftung website on Tuesday, 59% of young Germans expressed their confidence in democracy.

According to the study, this is 9% higher than the average of the European countries surveyed. However, 52% of young Germans say they have no trust in the government.

When asked if they trust parliament, only 35% said "yes," 45% said "no," and 20% said "I don't know."

Young Germans have a particularly strong distrust of the media, with 60% expressing no trust in it.

Multinational corporations are also viewed critically, with 53% responding negatively to a question about their trust.

"Young adults in Germany generally trust democracy and the EU. This is good news, not least in view of the European elections and the state elections this year," writes Regina von Gortz, co-author of the study, on the Bertelsmann Stiftung website.

She adds: "But it is important not to squander this trust."

Gortz believes that a good policy for young people should make forward-thinking decisions in their best interests and involve them more than ever before in the political process.

The study surveyed Germans aged 18 to 70 and compared them to data from nine other countries.