Despite a long list of global wars and threats, as well as a domestic economy dealing with a slew of bankruptcies, data from a new Insa poll shows that half of Germans believe migration is “Germany’s biggest problem.”
Overall, the Insa poll shows 50 percent of respondents agree that migration is Germany’s biggest problem, while 38 percent reject this position.
Broken down by party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) clearly sees migration as the biggest problem, with 83 percent naming it as the biggest issue. However, other parties also recognize it as the nation’s biggest problem, including the left-wing BSW, with 58 percent of the party’s voters naming it the number one issue.
For the Christian Democrats (CDU), 50 percent of voters named it the biggest problem, while 38 percent said it was not the biggest problem.
On the left, only 23 percent of Greens and 24 percent of Left Party voters named it the biggest problem, while only 36 percent of SPD voters ranked it as the top priority.
However, these results are still notable, with sizable shares of left-wing voters still seeing migration as the biggest issue. Similar polls have shown that many left-wing voters are gravely concerned with immigration, even as they continue to vote for parties that support open borders.
They also come after a major poll from YouGov showed that the majority of Germans support an immigration moratorium and mass deportations. The poll also found that a majority of Germans believed that too many legal migrants had arrived.
Despite worries about immigration, the ruling government admitted nearly 400,000 non-EU migrants into the country in 2025.
Economic pessimism and freedom of expression
Beyond migration, Germans are increasingly wary of the country’s economic health. A substantial 65 percent of respondents to a new Insa survey agree with the statement that the German economy is currently experiencing a significant decline. Only 21 percent disagree. This economic anxiety crosses party lines, with even half of Green and SPD voters acknowledging a downturn.
The Insa poll also shows that a majority of Germans believe freedom of opinion is threatened. The survey found that 56 percent express great concerns about freedom of expression in Germany, while 33 percent disagree. This sentiment is particularly strong in the eastern part of the country (63 percent) compared to the west (54 percent).
While AfD and BSW voters are highly concerned about their ability to speak freely, supporters of the Greens and FDP generally do not share these fears at the same rate.
The poll also showed that the AfD leads with 26 percent, followed closely by the CDU/CSU at 25 percent. The governing parties continue to struggle. The SPD is at 14 percent, the Greens at 12, and the Left Party at 10.5 percent.
While the Union (CDU/CSU) holds the highest theoretical “potential” at 41 percent, the AfD maintains the most loyal base. Insa notes that the AfD has the “highest proportion of so-called secure votes” at 20 percent, compared to 18 percent for the CDU/CSU.
