In Saxony, xenophobic attitudes are currently less widespread than in previous years. This is the result of the most recent survey. However, more than half of the Free State’s residents still feel like second-class citizens.
According to a survey in Saxony, xenophobic attitudes have decreased, but are still widespread. In the “Saxony Monitor” published in Dresden, 40 percent agreed with the statement that the Federal Republic was “overwhelmed to a dangerous extent by the large number of foreigners”. That is 16 points fewer than in the previous survey from 2018.
According to this, 38 percent sometimes feel like strangers in their own country because of Muslims in Germany, which is a decrease of 11 points. 29 percent even think that Muslims should be prohibited from immigrating to Germany – a drop of 12 percentage points. The “Saxony Monitor” has been a survey commissioned by the State Chancellery on the attitudes and opinions of the Saxon population since 2016 and was last surveyed four years ago.
For the Monitor 2021/2022, Dimap surveyed around 2,000 citizens from November 3rd to March 14th, mostly before the Ukraine war. The greatest concern is therefore the increase in the contrast between rich and poor and the loss of social cohesion. On the other hand, most respondents are hardly concerned about the loss of what they have worked for since reunification and about their own jobs.
A majority of Saxons still think that things are rather unfair in Germany. On the other hand, the majority feels that they personally got their fair share compared to other people in Germany. 55 percent of those questioned believe that East Germans are still treated as second-class citizens. This is a slight increase compared to 2018. This opinion is particularly pronounced among the over 60s.
Developments in Saxony since the peaceful revolution of 1989 are overwhelmingly positive. At the same time, around half believe that there should be more talk in Germany about the East German experiences after reunification. 65 percent have the feeling that the East Germans’ contribution to the development of the new federal states is not being adequately acknowledged.
The study classifies it as “remarkable” that over the past four years the proportion of those who feel closer to people in Eastern Europe than to people in West Germany has risen from 17 to 29 percent. This number could have shifted again with the Ukraine war.
