Most Germans believe their ‘golden age’ is over, poll finds

The the vast majority of Germans feel their country’s “golden age” has passed, according to a new poll that casts doubt on its future job as Europe’s de facto chief on the eve of Angela Merkel’s departure.

Research by the European Council on Overseas Relations located 52pc of Germans are pessimistic about the future, believing the greatest is behind Europe’s greatest financial state.

Throughout the bloc as a entire, respondents are in the same way sceptical. Just more than a 3rd said that Germany’s golden age had passed, while just 10pc considered it was nevertheless to occur.

The think tank’s report, Outside of Merkelism, located enduring assist for the outgoing Mrs Merkel throughout the bloc, with Europeans backing her above French president Emmanuel Macron as a hypothetical future candidate for EU president.

A plurality of European citizens – 36pc – trusted Germany to protect their financial and fiscal pursuits, even with the long shadow of the austerity agenda Mrs Merkel served introduce in the wake of the fiscal crisis.

However, assist for German leadership on geopolitical issues was weak, with just just one in five of individuals polled believing the corporation can lead the bloc in relations with Russia, and just 17pc stating the same for EU relations with China.

The report said: “These conclusions propose that, while Angela Merkel has cemented Germany’s place as a terrific European electrical power, the cornerstones of her legacy – neutrality and consensus setting up – will not be enough to protect the unity of the EU, and its position in the globe, in the decades to occur.”

Germans will head to the polls on September 26 to elect a new parliament and opt for a successor to Mrs Merkel, who has served as chancellor because 2005.

Her have party, the Christian Democratic Union, is lagging its coalition lover, the centre-left Social Democrat Party, in polls. Mrs Merkel’s SPD finance minister, Olaf Scholz, is possible to come to be the up coming chancellor.