80% of Germans demand action on wealth inequality and tax reforms
No matter which party Germans lean toward in the Bundestag, the majority believe wealth in the country is unfairly distributed. That is the key finding of a representative survey published Monday by polling institute Infratest dimap on behalf of ARD. The results were analyzed by political affiliation, age, income, and state. Of the 2,000 participants, a clear consensus emerged: Around 80 percent agree that the gap between the rich and poor in Germany is unjust.
As inequality widens, the center-left coalition government is debating cuts to the welfare state. Yet according to the ARD survey, the public overwhelmingly favors wealth redistribution: Two-thirds support introducing a wealth tax—regardless of their own income or age.
Even among CDU voters, whose party has long opposed such a tax, 62 percent are in favor. Monica Wüllner, deputy federal chair of the CDU's labor wing, the CDA, shares this view. She argues that reform discussions should not focus solely on cuts. "We also need to look at how higher assets are treated," Wüllner says.
The same applies to inheritance tax. A majority consider higher levies on large inheritances reasonable—except among AfD supporters, nearly two-thirds of whom reject the idea.
For Verena Bentele, president of the social welfare association VdK, the message is clear: "People expect a strong welfare state and fairer financing." She criticizes the government for ignoring everyday realities and urges policymakers to take public concerns seriously. "They rightly expect those who can afford more to contribute more," Bentele says.
Most respondents oppose cuts to social insurance systems. Supporters of the Greens, the Left Party, and the SPD are even willing to pay higher contributions to avoid reductions in benefits. In contrast, voters for the CDU/CSU and AfD tend to favor benefit cuts over increased payments.
The survey also tested reform proposals: A resounding 90 percent support requiring civil servants, the self-employed, and politicians to pay into the statutory pension system. The idea of reducing state pensions to a minimum—hinted at last week by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU)—is widely rejected, even by his own party's supporters. Most also dismiss another CDU-backed proposal: raising the retirement age.
However, a different model—linking retirement age to years of contributions—finds broad approval. This aligns with a suggestion by Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD), who proposed that those who start working later should also retire later. Younger respondents aged 16 to 29 are more divided, with only a slim majority in favor. Support for the contribution-based approach grows with age.
But who should the welfare state serve? Who qualifies for benefits? One-third believe migrants should only be entitled to social benefits after working in Germany for an extended period. This view is particularly strong among AfD (90 percent), CDU/CSU (79 percent), and SPD (63 percent) supporters. Monica Wüllner of the CDA questions this stance: "Social benefits are a basic right that must apply to everyone living here." She adds that while the form—whether in-kind or cash assistance—can be debated, the principle should not.
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