Study: trust in German democracy falls to lowest level; authoritarianism and antisemitism rise

Trust in democracy in Germany has dropped to the lowest level recorded in the long-running Authoritarianism Study, while authoritarian attitudes, chauvinism and antisemitic views have increased, the researchers reported after presenting the 2026 survey in Berlin on 11 November.

The study, led by the Else Frenkel‑Brunswik Institute for Research on Democracy at Leipzig University and supported by the Otto Brenner Foundation and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, finds growing endorsement of radical change and a rising appetite for a single dominant party — trends that are stronger in eastern Germany and that map onto support for Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Oliver Decker, the social psychologist who heads the project, warned of the implications for democratic resilience: "Our democracy is under great pressure. It has lost some of its acceptance among broad strata of the population. It is alarming how strongly a longing for authoritarianism appears as its replacement."

Key numbers and patterns

The representative survey contacted more than 2,500 people at random between mid‑March and early June 2026; roughly 40 percent completed the extensive questionnaire. For the first time since the series began in 2002, support for democracy as an idea fell below 90 percent overall — driven chiefly by a larger drop in the east, where support now stands at 85.7 percent.

Satisfaction with how democracy works in everyday life fell even further: nationally only about one third of respondents said they were satisfied. Satisfaction is markedly lower in the east (22.8 percent) than in the west (36 percent). Other findings include a record high for national chauvinism (19.9 percent) and the largest share since 2014 of people with a fully right‑wing extremist worldview (6.9 percent).

The study also highlights social moods that correlate with extremist attitudes: almost 15 percent of respondents agreed that "everything must collapse so that something new can be created," and nearly one third said that "something radical is needed to change the current situation," with an additional 29.1 percent partially agreeing.

Researchers further note a worrying rise in antisemitic views — now measured at 6.2 percent, more than double the level in 2022. When asked about reasons for antisemitic attitudes, 16 percent of respondents cited the policy of the State of Israel — the highest value observed in the long‑term series. The study states: "With rhetoric that contains elements of violence, AfD promises to achieve the political goals of the extreme‑right ideology."

Negative attitudes toward Muslims have risen again to 34.1 percent after earlier declines, and anti‑feminist opinions are held by 18.3 percent. The researchers end with a cautious note: while the results are alarming, past peaks in right‑wing support have sometimes receded in later years, and political action and perceived responsiveness remain decisive in shaping these trends.

Photo: press material from the event