Study shows Populism in Germany declined sharply

Populism in German politics is on the decline after peaking in 2018, according to a study released this week by the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Around 20% of registered voters in Germany are considered to have a “populist mindset,” which is a drop from the 2018 figure of 33% of voters who had such a view, according to researchers.

“The trend towards an increasingly populist political climate in Germany has been turned around,” said co-author Robert Vehrkamp in a statement.

Bertelsmann’s “Populism Barometer,” developed in cooperation with YouGov Germany, asked 10,000 voters in June whether they agreed with eight populist statements about the function of state and society.

Populist attitudes in the study include viewing politicians as part of a self-interested “corrupt elite,” rejecting compromise or supporting direct sovereignty through referendums. The study also analyzed populist attitudes “within the dimensions of anti-pluralism, anti-establishment, and homogeneity of the people.”

According to the study, the turn away from populism is being supported primarily by voters from Germany’s political center. In 2018, this segment of voters showed the greatest increase in populist attitudes.

Read more via DW