Debt limit or public investment?
Although many people in Germany have a fundamentally negative attitude towards public debt, a significant proportion are open to state investments financed by borrowing. This is the result of a comprehensive, representative survey conducted by d|part and the Forum New Economy. According to the survey, a majority supports the principle of generally avoiding new debt. At the same time, however, a similarly large majority agrees with the statement that it is better to “incur debt today for debt-financed future investments” than to “leave our children a ruined planet.”
The survey was conducted with a representative sample of 1,968 people in Germany aged 16 to 80, between October 18 and October 30, 2024. Participants were asked about their fundamental attitudes towards government borrowing, debt-financed investments, and narratives used in current economic debates (e.g., regarding the “Schuldenbremse“). The sample is representative of age, gender, education level, and federal state, and includes several cross quotas. Further details about the project and methodology can be found on our project page.