Survey: After 60 years, Germans are proud of their country

May 8, 2009, 17:00 GMT

Berlin - In the 60th anniversary year of the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, a survey has shown that most citizens are happy with their country, although they long for more social security.

Of those questioned, 90 per cent said they considered Germany a success story according to pollsters Infratest dimap, who carried out the survey on behalf of the pro-Christian-Democrat (CDU) Konrad Adenauer foundation.

The majority said they were proud of Germany. However, welfare reforms in recent years and the current economic crisis left people wishing for greater social security.

The head of the Konrad Adenauer foundation and former Thuringian state premier, Bernhard Vogel, was surprised at the positive results, and said it showed there was great trust in the country's democracy.

While almost all of those questioned considered Germany to be a country that had the social interests of its people at heart, a quarter did not agree that the state was fair.

Inhabitants of the former East Germany felt more strongly than their west German counterparts that people were not treated fairly, and pride in Germany was also slightly lower in the eastern 'Laender' (states).

The survey, conducted in March amongst 1,292 people, showed a growing belief that the state should keep income disparities between people low. Forty per cent of those questioned supported that statement, compared to 23 per cent of those asked in 2005.

In general however the right to property, free career choices, freedom of opinion and equal opportunities were rated higher than the demand for social parity.