Cities and municipalities in Germany have been shouldering the burden of major crises such as migration, the energy transition, and the Covid-19 pandemic for years. However, they are increasingly reaching their limits in terms of personnel and finances, as highlighted by a study from the FDP-affiliated Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The study, “Germany’s Municipalities”, conducted by the opinion research institute Civey and exclusively obtained by WELT, surveyed 5000 citizens. The results are alarming, with 85.2% of respondents feeling they have little to no influence on what happens in their municipality, while only 10% feel they have a significant influence on local decisions.
Similarly, a majority of respondents (66.4%) believe that municipalities lack the time to address important issues due to bureaucratic tasks. Only 18.7% disagreed with this statement. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation aimed to explore the level of connection citizens feel towards their municipality. Germany has 11,000 cities and municipalities, ranging from the smallest with nine residents to Berlin with 3.7 million. The study found that a quarter of respondents feel strongly connected to their hometown, with an additional 38.2% feeling somewhat connected, while the remaining 36% either don’t feel connected or are undecided.
According to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, a strong sense of connection to one’s municipality has positive effects, such as reducing the likelihood of voting for populist parties, supporting democracy, and increasing engagement in volunteer activities. Data shows that those with a strong local connection have a lower intention to vote for parties like the AfD or Die Linke (Left Party), are more in favor of democracy, and engage more in volunteer work. This sense of local connection plays a significant role in societal cohesion and has been emphasized by previous studies conducted by the Ifo Institute on behalf of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in 2019.
The study reinforces the importance of municipal self-administration in alleviating the growing pressure on cities and municipalities. The lack of resources for voluntary services for citizens is attributed to increasing demands on municipal administrations, such as complex funding programs from state and federal governments or extensive building regulations and noise protection requirements. Recommendations include reducing bureaucracy, strengthening local economies and settlement policies, and creating social meeting points for citizens to interact and exchange ideas.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation advises against further territorial reforms, as they may negatively impact residents’ identification with their hometown. From a liberal perspective, the municipal level is crucial, as it provides a platform for addressing citizen concerns. Assmann suggests that strengthening municipal self-administration could be a strategy to counter the success of populist movements like the AfD and the growing popularity of left-wing parties. The survey, conducted from February 29 to March 2, 2024, had a sample size of 5,017 people with a margin of error of 2.5%.
