One year of government: Voters give traffic lights bad testimonials

The chancellor himself draws a positive balance after a year of traffic lights – despite all the crises. “This year was marked by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine,” said Olaf Scholz in his weekly video message over the weekend. But the traffic light has stuck to its task of strengthening cohesion in Germany as well as to the goal of climate neutrality.

But even if the traffic light is satisfied with what it has achieved – many voters are apparently not, as two polls from the weekend show. A survey commissioned by the “Spiegel” from the opinion research institute Civey showed that 61 percent of people give the traffic light a bad rating. They assessed the work of the government in the first year negatively. Only 29 saw them positively.

The different evaluation according to party supporters is striking. According to the survey, only 15 percent of FDP voters are satisfied. Among the supporters of the SPD and the Greens, on the other hand, 71 and 67 percent respectively. There were also clear differences between East and West. According to the “Spiegel” survey, people are particularly disappointed with the coalition in eastern Germany.

A survey by the opinion research institute Insa for the “Bild am Sonntag” painted a similar picture. 64 percent of Germans are dissatisfied with the government, compared to 36 percent a year ago.

“There was great goodwill when the self-proclaimed progressive coalition took office. But disappointment set in relatively quickly,” says Manfred Güllner, head of the opinion research institute Forsa. The first kink came before the Ukraine war in relation to the corona pandemic. The compulsory vaccination planned by the traffic light failed, many could not have recognized a “well thought-out strategy”.

At the beginning of the Ukraine war, Scholz’s “level-headed actions were still perceived as positive”. But the decisive factor for the displeasure in the population is the energy crisis. The gas levy was announced and cleared again. Now many people would get price increases from their electricity or gas suppliers. Many do not know how this will be offset against the planned relief, says Güllner.

Güllner also criticizes Chancellor Scholz’s communication. “He either says nothing or formulates long sentences. Words like ‘double boom’ are perceived by the voters as inappropriate.” Unlike former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Scholz does not manage to position himself as an “anchor for stability”.

Hermann Binkert, head of the Insa institute, is convinced that the problems also arise from the fact that two centre-left parties are governing with one centre-right party at the traffic light. In debates such as the continued operation of nuclear power plants, each party wants to please its own voters. “In the end there is a compromise that disappoints everyone.”

Demoskop Binkert observes that the announcement of the relief in electricity and gas prices has calmed the population somewhat. “But in the end it will be decisive what arrives in people’s wallets.”

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