Debt Brake Preference Survey Reveals Majority Opposition to Relaxation
After the ruling of the Karlsruhe budget, most citizens prefer to keep the debt brake intact as per a survey conducted by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for ZDF's "Politbarometer". The findings revealed that 61% of respondents are against any relaxation of the debt brake, with 35% advocating for loosening, and 4% expressing uncertainty.
The supporters of the Green Party (67%), Left (58%), and SPD (55%) are in favor of relaxations, while minorities of FDP (31%), CDU/CSU (20%), and AfD (14%) share the similar view.
The majority of respondents advocate for addressing budget deficits through spending cuts (57%), with 11% favoring tax hikes and 23% suggesting taking on additional debt.
Uncertainty with the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court to nullify the reallocation of 60 billion euros for a climate and transformation fund led to the federal government temporarily suspending the debt brake for 2023.
Should hypothetical federal elections occur next Sunday, the polls predict the CDU/CSU as the leading force with 31%, followed by AfD with 22%. SPD, Greens, FDP, and Left Party respectively trail at 15%, 15%, 5%, and 4%. With these results, the current governing coalition would lack a parliamentary majority.
However, election polls are inherently uncertain due to factors like decreasing party loyalty and electorally short-term decisions. Despite these fluctuations, it is essential for the Federal Government to consider the opposition to easing the debt brake demonstrated in various surveys. Although some political parties support the liberalization of debt brake measures, the majority of the population, even including supporters of CDU/CSU and FDP, favor retaining it in its current state.
Current Public Stance on Debt Brake
A shifting public sentiment towards the debt brake in Germany emerged, with numerous surveys revealing a majority in favor of tweaking or abolishing it. Key findings from these surveys include:
- Overall Sentiment: A polarizing 55% of Germans advocated for reforming the debt brake to promote greater investment, while 41% wanted to preserve its existing status in a January 2025 Forsa poll[5].
- Party Support:
- CDU/CSU: The majority (55%) of CDU/CSU voters supported the relaxation or abolition of the debt brake[5].
- FDP: Even among traditionally fiscally conservative FDP voters, 41% favored reforming or terminating the debt brake[5].
- SPD: An impressive 66% of SPD voters supported reforming the debt brake[5].
- Greens: The Greens held the highest support for reform, with an overwhelming 85% of their supporters requesting ease of debt brake measures[5].
- Historical Context: This significant shift in public opinion is noteworthy, as only 44% favored reform or abolition in November 2024, with 32% expressing their preference in July 2024[5].
- Economic Priorities: The debretting debate is closely linked to broader economic objectives. The majority of Germans yearned for enhanced investment in numerous sectors, including education, transportation, health, domestic security, defense, and energy infrastructure[5].
