40% of Germans in favour of cuts in support for Ukraine: Survey

Forty per cent of people in Germany see cuts to aid for Ukraine as one of the potential savings that could be made in the dispute over the federal budget, according to a recent survey by pollster INSA published in Sunday's Bild newspaper, reported dpa.

When asked "Where do you think the government should make savings?" 38% named development aid, while 36% said that savings should be made on social welfare payments, the mass-circulation newspaper reported.

There were 10 fields to choose from in which savings could be made. Multiple answers were possible.

Few respondents wanted to make savings in the areas of pensions, which was chosen by just 6%, family benefits, chosen by 8%, and economic development, by 9%.

According to the survey, 16% are in favour of savings in defence and the armed forces, the Bundeswehr, while only 10% of respondents answered that the government should not make savings.

The federal government plans to adopt the 2025 federal budget in July. On Friday, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit named July 3 as the expected date.

According to the latest tax estimate, the federal, state and local governments are expected to collect €995.2 billion in the coming year, €21.9 billion less than assumed in the autumn of 2023.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner subsequently criticized the "exorbitant" spending requests from the Cabinet once again and emphasized that there is no financial leeway in the foreseeable future.

For the survey, the INSA Institute conducted an online poll of 1,005 people on May 16 and 17 on behalf of Bild.