In the “Predictions 2025” survey by Ipsos, people from 33 countries were asked about their attitudes and expectations on various topics such as the economy, technology, environment, and society. Unsurprisingly, a significant majority (72%) of Germans rated 2024 negatively. This makes people in Germany significantly more pessimistic than the average across all surveyed countries (65%). However, Germany is not alone in this pessimism within Europe. In France, 79 percent of respondents said the year had gone rather badly. In the UK, 76 percent also viewed the past 12 months negatively. While this may be understandable for France—where fantastic Olympic Games were accompanied by political chaos (two governments since July)—one might expect that the British would feel more clarity and satisfaction after Labour’s landslide victory regarding their country’s social and political direction.
Yet, this is not the case. Ipsos’ survey results, unfortunately, show that new elections do not necessarily bring political calm to the population, nor do satisfaction ratings for a new government automatically rise—and stay high—overnight. After Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved the Bundestag and set the course for new elections, I hope that a stable (two-party) coalition government is quickly formed after the February 2025 elections, one that tackles the country’s challenges purposefully. However, new elections alone are not the solution. The new government will have to make difficult decisions that will not please everyone.
These insights have been shared by Robert Grimm, who holds a PhD in sociology and leads political and social research at the market, opinion, and social research institute Ipsos Germany.