In Brief: The Study Results
- Topic: Deutschland-Monitor 2025 – Focus on willingness to change.
- Publisher: Consortium including the Institut für Politikwissenschaft of the Universität Jena.
- Key Finding: No general “change fatigue” detectable in the population.
- East vs. West: Surprisingly high similarities in attitudes.
- Crucial Point: Changes are accepted when perceived as fair and secure – the exception is the topic of pensions.
Jena (20.02.2026) – In political debates, a picture of a static Germany is often painted, whose citizens cling fearfully to the status quo. But is this narrative of change fatigue even true? The Deutschland-Monitor 2025, published this Friday, provides a scientifically sound answer – and it is more nuanced than many would suspect. The Institut für Politikwissenschaft of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena was significantly involved in the study.
No General Resistance to Reforms
The central finding of the comprehensive survey is: Germans are by no means as reform-shy as is often claimed. The scientists, including experts from the Uni Jena, the Zentrum für Sozialforschung Halle (ZSH), and the GESIS Leibniz-Institut, found that there is no general change fatigue. Rather, citizens differentiate very precisely what the issue is about.
Whether changes are perceived as an opportunity or a threat depends heavily on two factors: security and fairness. When people feel that change is happening justly and that they will not fall into an abyss, they are willing to support transformation processes. However, an interesting detail of the study is a clear red line: regarding the topic of pensions (Rente), respondents predominantly do not evaluate cuts or changes as acceptable. Here, the need for security seems particularly pronounced.
East and West Function More Similarly Than Thought
Another exciting result of the Monitor 2025 is the look at inner-German unity. More than three decades after reunification, fundamental attitudes toward the willingness to change show high similarities between East and West Germany. The often-evoked split into a change-oriented Western and a skeptical Eastern society cannot be sustained in such general terms according to the data.
Nevertheless, there are regional nuances: specific characteristics and differences appear, according to the study, primarily within the East German federal states. Furthermore, a psychological phenomenon often observed in other social studies is evident: people evaluate their own direct environment significantly more positively than “society as a whole.” Skepticism is therefore often directed against an abstract whole, while people are more confident in their private lives.
Democracy: Principle Yes, Practice Not So Much
In addition to the willingness for change, the Deutschland-Monitor traditionally examines the relationship with democracy. The good news from Jena: democracy as a form of government is fundamentally considered capable of transformation and enjoys high levels of approval. Citizens therefore generally trust the system to shape change.
The worse news concerns the concrete implementation. Here, a clear rift is visible. Many respondents are dissatisfied with how democratic processes run in everyday life. Populist attitudes measurably reinforce this skepticism toward democracy. Those who agree with populist statements tend to also reject the democratic system in its current functioning.
Background of the Study
The Deutschland-Monitor is not a simple opinion poll, but a scientifically deep analysis. The findings for 2025 are based on a mix of methods consisting of a representative population survey, regional in-depth studies in both structurally strong and structurally weak districts, as well as qualitative focus group discussions. Contact persons at the Universität Jena include Prof. Dr. Marion Reiser and Dr. Jörg Hebenstreit from the Institut für Politikwissenschaft.
For politics in Berlin and Erfurt, these results should be an important guide: those who want change do not have to fight against a population that shies away from change, but must above all strengthen the feeling of justice and security.
Source:
How willing is Germany to change?
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.