Lower Saxony shines: 4th place in the federal sympathy ranking!

Lower Saxony shines: 4th place in the federal sympathy ranking!

A current survey by the Free University of Berlin shows that Lower Saxony is in fourth place in the nationwide sympathy ranking. With 141 out of 240 possible points, the state garners a lot of love, beating some other better-known regions. How NDR reported, the survey was carried out in September 2024 among 1,630 people and evaluated in the “Tagesspiegel”. Hamburg is at the top with 201 points, followed by Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg, while Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is at the bottom with 133 points.

But what exactly do the numbers reveal about our perception of the federal states? Spatial proximity seems to be a crucial factor. Lower Saxony has received a particularly high number of sympathy points from its northern German neighbors. These regional prejudices are not new and are clearly visible in comparisons between the federal states. East Germans generally judge their compatriots more positively than West Germans, who in turn rate their own regional colleagues more highly than those from the East. These attitudes are not just mere polls, but reflect an entrenched sense of East-West alienation that loud Regional today 35 years after reunification it still exists.

The relationship between East and West

Political scientist Achim Hildebrandt describes the circumstances as worrying. Many East Germans feel disadvantaged compared to other parts of the country, while many West Germans see themselves as privileged - with the exception of those in Saarland. These regional reservations are not only philosophical in nature, but also ideologically motivated, which endangers Germany's internal unity Berlin Sunday paper points out.

The study shows that 65 percent of the companies surveyed in Germany are disadvantaged by slow internet. There are still many deficiencies in northern Germany - from the safety and width of cycle paths to age-related problems in local transport. Family and education policies also influence the popularity ratings of the federal states, which is clearly reflected in the survey results.

From all of these points it is clear that Lower Saxony has a lot to be happy about, but the social divide between East and West remains an important issue that needs to be addressed. The survey not only offers insights into likeability ratings, but also provides an exciting perspective on the regional differences and challenges in German society.