A large majority of Germans have no understanding for the protest actions of groups like the “Last Generation”. Significantly fewer respondents fear that the protest will degenerate into violence against people.
For some time now, climate activists have been protesting in various cities, spraying works of art in museums, sticking themselves to cars or the streets, or recently temporarily paralyzing flight operations at Berlin Airport. As was the case three weeks ago, only a minority of Germans expressed understanding for this type of action in the current RTL/ntv trend barometer, which is intended to draw attention to climate change and its consequences. But it grew slightly, from 15 to 17 percent within just under three weeks.
A large majority of 82 percent of Germans still have no understanding for this form of protest. At the beginning of November, 84 percent still expressed a negative attitude towards the climate protests. Supporters of the Greens (40 percent) are most likely to understand the forms of protest used by climate activists. But even among supporters of the Environmental Protection Party, those who reject such protests are in the majority at 59 percent.
43 percent of those surveyed see the danger that the protests by climate activists, which have so far been limited to property damage and blockades, could also lead to a violent fight against people in the future. A majority of 55 percent does not share this fear. Supporters of the AfD (71 percent) most frequently fear future violence against people on the part of climate protectors, while supporters of the Greens (16 percent) least fear it.
The data was collected by the market and opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of RTL Germany on November 25 and 28, 2022. Database: 1004 respondents. Statistical error tolerance: plus/minus 3 percentage points.
More information about Forsa here.Forsa surveys commissioned by RTL Germany.
