Most Germans 'proud' of coronavirus response — study
September 2, 2020
A new study released Wednesday estimates that 70% of Germans think their government has done a good job handling the ongoing pandemic, while 30% said they think officials are portraying the coronavirus crisis to be worse than it is.
The study, carried by the non-partisan research group More in Common, questioned 2,000 people in July about how they have "personally, politically and socially" experienced the coronavirus crisis.
According to a press release, the 30% represents a group of people that have a "large affinity" for conspiracy theories, and think the government is "overblowing the crisis in order to advance its own plans."
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The results of the study come as Germany finds itself divided over coronavirus prevention measures like making masks mandatory in various public spaces. Various groups have protested the lockdown measures.
"There is a greater risk of society drifting apart than before the coronavirus, as people in Germany experience and assess the crisis very differently," More in Common said in a press release.
Germans 'proud' of response
Despite the social divisions over regulations, and the affinity for conspiracy theories, the survey also showed that a large majority of Germans are "proud" of how the country has handled the coronavirus crisis.
The study also showed that Germany's overall handling of the crisis caused 68% of respondents to become "prouder" of their country in general.
Out of the six countries analyzed in the study, the respondents from Germany scored the highest value on this question. In comparison, 61% of British and French said they were disappointed in how their respective governments have handled the crisis.
The German government's handling of the crisis also scored well in the survey, with over 70% of respondents saying Berlin's coronavirus policies were "more democratic than undemocratic, more fair than unfair, more competent than incompetent."