Germany

Many more had trouble paying for food, shelter last year
Iranians are increasingly struggling to afford food and shelter, and 65% say sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the U.S., and Western Europe will hurt the livelihoods of the country's residents "a great deal" or "somewhat."

Faith in banks and financial institutions remains low
Europeans' and Americans' confidence in their financial institutions has followed a similar trajectory throughout the global economic crisis, suggesting a strong link between the two struggling economies.

Suffering, anger, stress, and sadness tick up in the fourth quarter of 2011
Germans were slightly less positive about their lives in 2011 than they were in 2010. Their emotional wellbeing also worsened somewhat last year.

In most countries, pluralities say it is a bad time to find a job
A median of 12% of EU residents in 2011 said it was a good time to find a job where they live, while a median of 80% said it was a bad time. Residents of Greece were most pessimistic, while Germans were most optimistic.

A median of 36% confident in government; 43% confident in financial institutions
Europeans had little faith in their national governments and financial institutions in 2011 compared with other key institutions, likely reflecting dissatisfaction with the economic turmoil gripping the EU. Europeans trusted their military (69%) and honesty of elections (59%) the most.

Poorer eating habits mostly to blame
Fewer Germans reported good health habits in November than in prior months, with the Gallup-Healthways Healthy Behaviors Index slipping to 68, from a high of 73 in March. The decline was mostly due to fewer Germans reporting eating healthily.

Greeks, Spaniards, Italians say their governments make it hard to start and manage businesses
Residents in some of the EU's most debt-laden countries are also among the most likely to say their government makes it hard to start and manage a business. The climate for entrepreneurs is most inhospitable in Greece, where more than 8 in 10 residents see their government as an obstacle.

More approve of China's and Turkey's leadership, but still more disapprove than approve
Nine percent of Iranians approved of U.K. and U.S. leadership when Gallup surveyed there in early 2011 and not many more approved of the EU's leadership (12%). The most educated Iranians are more likely to approve of these foreign leaderships than less educated Iranians, regardless of income.

Greeks are by far the most negative; pessimism soars Portugal and Italy
Views about local economic situations are deteriorating in several EU countries hard-hit by the European debt crisis, including Italy and Portugal. Those in Greece, Portugal, and Ireland are among the most negative, while views in Finland, Germany, Luxembourg are the most positive.

Women more likely than men to report a depression diagnosis in all three countries
Adults in the United States (17%) and in the United Kingdom (15%) are significantly more likely to report having been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime than are adults in Germany (9%). In all three countries, women are more likely than men to report a depression diagnosis.

Topic Search

Use this search form to find within this topic.