The MIDEM Polarization Barometer maps ideological and affective polarization in Germany in 2025. Drawing on a large-scale, representative survey of approximately 34,000 respondents across eight EU member states—including nearly 4,400 in Germany—the study demonstrates that polarization is not a uniform phenomenon. Not all disagreement poses a threat to social cohesion.
A key analytical distinction is made between ideological polarization—that is, substantive differences in policy preferences—and affective polarization, understood as the emotional intensification of these differences. The Barometer examines public attitudes in Germany and seven other European countries across central issue areas, including immigration, security, climate change, the economy and welfare, as well as broader value orientations. By analyzing the interaction between ideological and affective polarization, the study identifies four distinct discursive zones, each reflecting different challenges for democratic politics and society: the zone of division, the zone of contention, the zone of conflict, and the zone of compromise.
