Trust in State and Society during the Corona Crisis (March 2021)

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the polling institute Forschungsgruppe Wahlen conducted a representative survey in March 2021 to examine respondents´ trust in the state and in society. The current survey wave builds on two survey waves in April 2020 and June/July 2020.
The current survey focused on respondents´ attitudes towards the state and their trust in institutions and in actors, their assessment of the Corona measures and their expectations in the Corona crisis (COVID-19). The image of society, assessments of cohesion during the pandemic and experiences during the Corona crisis were also recorded.<br>Greatest personal burden or restriction in the context of the Corona crisis; further great burden or restriction; trust in institutions (courts, science and research, churches, police, federal government, politicians, parties, media); satisfaction with democracy; assessment of democracy as a form of government; social lines of conflict; lines of conflict between external parties; assessment of leaders in Germany; attitudes towards the role of the state in the Corona crisis; assessment of individual measures to combat the pandemic; responsibilities in the Corona crisis (federal government/ state/ city); assessment of the support measures of the federal government (for companies and businesses, for employees in health and care facilities, to protect the health of the population, for the economic situation of the population); assessment of people´s behaviour in the pandemic; assessment of people´s behaviour in the case of recommendations for action instead of rules; feeling of restriction due to the Corona crisis and the measures associated with it; effects on the financial situation; experiences with a health authority (e.g. because of a Corona test), with an employment agency, authorities, police/regulation office in the context of the Corona crisis; evaluation of these experiences; assessment of cohesion in society during the Corona crisis and afterwards; assessment of cohesion in personal surroundings; party sympathy; satisfaction with life; optimism about the future; trust in humanity.

Demography: sex; age; education: school-leaving qualification or school-leaving qualification aspired to; university degree; occupation; job security; type of occupation; professional position; public service; household size; number of persons in household aged 18 and over; German citizenship.

Additionally coded were: Respondent ID; federal state; Berlin East/West; city size; weighting factors (with and without linear correction); information for dual-frame weighting (reached via mobile or landline).