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Germans’ Sense of Safety Slips to 50% in New ARD Poll

New polling puts safety perceptions at 50%, driven by mixed crime data plus a politicized debate.

Overview

  • Only half of respondents now feel very or rather safe in public spaces, down five points since February and far below 2017 levels.
  • Women report markedly lower safety than men, with 45% feeling safe compared with 56% of men, and 53% of women describing public spaces as unsafe.
  • Perceptions diverge by party support, with 79% of AfD backers feeling unsafe while Green voters report the highest sense of safety at 81%.
  • Official 2024 police statistics show total recorded crime fell 1.7%, but crimes against personal freedom rose 5.3% and sexualized violence increased 9.3% to more than 13,000 cases.
  • A narrow majority of 52% say the AfD best understands public insecurity, and many cite concrete fears including theft (52%) and insults or harassment (48%).