Survey: majority in favor of wealth tax
People who own a lot have to pay a levy - this rule no longer exists since the end of the 90s. It is often discussed for a new introduction. A survey now provides food for thought: A majority is in favor, even among Union voters. Only supporters of the FDP and AfD are rather against it.
A majority of people in Germany are in favor of reintroducing the wealth tax. This comes from a Forsa survey for "Stern". According to this, 62 percent of citizens would approve if private individuals and corporations had to pay such a levy on assets over one million euros. 34 percent are against it.
Above all, the proposal encounters approval among supporters of the Greens (84 percent). But also supporters of the SPD (79 percent) and the Left Alliance (58 percent) are in favor of it.
Surprisingly, a majority of 55 percent of Union (CDU/CSU) supporters would also support such a project. However, the CDU and CSU are against a wealth tax. A wealth tax would "endanger the economic substance of Germany and cost jobs," it says in the joint election program.
However, a possible reintroduction encounters clear rejection among voters and voters of the FDP (78 percent) and the AfD (62 percent). The data were collected from a total of 1,008 respondents.
The wealth tax has not been levied in Germany since a judgment by the Federal Constitutional Court in 1997. Controversial discussions about a possible reintroduction have been ongoing. So SPD and the Greens had expressed themselves in favor of it during the coalition negotiations in 2021, but the FDP had rejected tax increases. The high effort required to record assets is seen as problematic.
The recent survey suggests that a majority of Union voters also support the idea of reintroducing a wealth tax, despite their party's opposition to it. This tax would typically include property tax and could impact the assets of wealthy individuals.
The proposed wealth tax, which could include property tax, has gained significant support from various political parties, such as the Greens and SPD, but encounters strong opposition from voters and voters of parties like the FDP and AfD.
