More than two-thirds of Germans trust in the protective shield of NATO. In the trend barometer, support for the government's Ukraine policy is growing. On the other hand, the US nuclear weapons in Germany are a problem for many.
The federal government is getting more and more tailwind from the Germans for its Ukraine policy. In the current RTL/ntv trend barometer, only 23 percent of Germans - this is the lowest figure since April - believe that the federal government is doing too little to support Ukraine. In mid-April it was still 38 percent.
49 percent feel the level of support is just right, versus 34 percent who felt the same way in mid-April. According to 22 percent of those surveyed, Germany is putting too much effort into Ukraine. In mid-April, 16 percent thought so. The latter opinion is expressed more often than average by East Germans (38 percent) and above all by supporters of the AfD (70 percent).
On the issue of arms deliveries to Ukraine, too, German opinion is slowly changing in favor of the chancellor. Two-thirds (67 percent) of Germans consider Scholz's behavior on this issue to be appropriate and not too hesitant. In mid-June, only 58 percent approved the position as chancellor. 28 percent of Germans currently share the criticism of Olaf Scholz that he is too hesitant to support Ukraine in supplying heavy weapons. In mid-June it was still 35 percent.
German confidence in NATO is stable. 74 percent of Germans believe that the western defense alliance would be able to defend a member country in the event of a Russian attack. 19 percent don't think so. Comparatively most often, AfD supporters (40 percent) doubt NATO's ability to defend itself.
The attitude of German citizens is significantly more ambivalent when it comes to the nuclear weapons stationed in Germany for so-called "nuclear participation". 51 percent of Germans are of the opinion that the American nuclear missiles stored in Büchel should remain in the country.
In an emergency, the USA would decide whether to use them, Germany only has a right of veto. 44 percent believe that US nuclear weapons should be withdrawn from German soil. A majority of East Germans (59 percent) and supporters of the AfD (64 percent) are in favor of withdrawing American nuclear weapons from Germany. The majority of West Germans and supporters of the SPD, Greens, FDP and Union support keeping the weapons in Germany.
The data was collected by the market and opinion research institute forsa on behalf of RTL Germany from July 8 to 11, 2022. Database: 1,004 respondents. Statistical error tolerance: /- 3 percentage points.
More information about Forsa here.
Forsa surveys commissioned by RTL Germany.
