German survey on perceptions of the US and China: 61 per cent view the US negatively – almost on a par with China
By Rachel · 3 min read
Automatically translated from German. · Read original
A representative YouGov survey conducted between 16 and 19 October 2026 shows that 61 per cent of Germans view the US negatively or very negatively, whilst 59 per cent view China in a similarly critical light.
Key findings at a glance
- 61% of eligible voters in Germany view the US negatively (YouGov, 16–19 October 2026, n=2,202).
- 59 per cent view China negatively – an almost identical figure.
- Only 9 per cent believe that US democracy is functioning well; 52 per cent see it as seriously under threat or no longer functioning.
- On US–Germany relations: 19 per cent say ‘friend and ally’, 11 per cent ‘threat’, 22 per cent ‘friendly rival’ and 28 per cent ‘not particularly friendly’.
- The survey’s margin of error is ±2.09 percentage points (at a 50 per cent confidence level).
How do Germans rate the US and China in comparison?
According to the YouGov survey published on 29 October 2026 on behalf of dpa-AFX, 61 per cent of respondents state that they view the United States rather negatively or very negatively. China follows closely behind with 59 per cent of negative assessments. The survey was conducted between 16 and 19 October 2026 amongst 2,202 eligible voters in Germany, with the sample weighted by age, gender, education, region, political interest and voting behaviour, according to boersennews.de.
This means the two major powers are almost neck and neck in the eyes of the German public. By way of comparison: Israel is viewed negatively by 62 per cent, and the Palestinian territories by 54 per cent. Iran (81 per cent) and Russia (74 per cent) fare significantly worse.
How do Germans view US democracy?
Confidence in the functioning of US democracy is low. Only 9 per cent of those surveyed believe it works well on the whole. 25 per cent say it does work, but is under threat. The largest group – 40 per cent – agree with the statement: “Democracy in the US is under serious threat and, in some respects, no longer functions.” A further 12 per cent believe it is largely no longer functional, according to ariva.de.
What is the state of relations between the US and Germany?
Germans are divided. 19 per cent generally view the US as a friend and ally, whilst 11 per cent even see it as a threat to Germany. 22 per cent describe the relationship as ‘friendly rivals’, and 28 per cent believe that the US tends not to be friendly towards Germany. 20 per cent did not give an answer or replied “Don’t know”.
| Country / Topic | Negative assessment |
|---|---|
| Iran | 81% |
| Russia | 74% |
| Israel | 62% |
| USA | 61% |
| China | 59% |
| Palestinian Territories | 54% |
What role do the US mid-term elections play in shaping public sentiment?
The survey was conducted shortly before the US mid-term elections on 3 November 2026, in which all seats in the House of Representatives and around a third of the Senate are up for election. The polarised domestic political situation in the US is reflected in the German assessments: more than half of those surveyed regard US democracy as being under serious threat or dysfunctional.
Frequently asked questions
How many Germans view the US negatively?
61 per cent of eligible voters surveyed in Germany state that they view the US rather negatively or very negatively (YouGov, 16–19 October 2026, n=2,202).
How does the assessment of China compare?
59 per cent of respondents view China negatively – just two percentage points fewer than the US.
What do Germans think of US democracy?
Only 9 per cent consider it to be functioning well; 40 per cent see it as seriously under threat and, in some respects, no longer functioning, whilst 12 per cent consider it to be largely no longer functioning.
How are US–German relations assessed?
19 per cent say ‘friend and ally’, 22 per cent ‘friendly rival’, 28 per cent ‘not particularly friendly’, 11 per cent see the US as a threat, and 20 per cent do not know.
When and how was the survey conducted?
Between 16 and 19 October 2026, YouGov surveyed a total of 2,202 eligible voters in Germany using a representative sample (weighted by age, gender, education, region, political interest and voting behaviour). Margin of error: ±2.09 percentage points.
Sources: boersennews.de · ariva.de. As at 29 October 2026.
