Handout YouGov British Chamber of Commerce

Holger Geißler, May, 5th, 2014
Germans vs. Brits - similarities and
differences of two close neighbours

2
Agenda
• Who we are
• What do Germans vs. Brits think
• The EU and other political issues
• The economy
• Perceive each other
• Some gossip
• A question of national honour

4
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5
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6
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7
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Our topic today: What do Germans vs. Brits think?

The EU and other political issues

11
Future of the EU – Germans are more optimistic
35
44
48 46
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
UK
Would you say that you are optimistic or
pessimistic about the future of the European
Union?
Optimistic Pessimistic
Fieldtime: March, 21st – 27th, 2014
N = 1,072 in Germany, 1,958 in Great Britain

12
Referendum on membership – close race in the UK
41
55
37
27
6 10
16
8
0
20
40
60
80
100
UK Germany
If there was a referendum on your country‘s
membership of the European Union, how would
you vote?
Remain in the EU Leave the EU
Would not vote Don't know

13
Influence on Euopean affairs – Germans see Germany as influential
32
62
35
118 5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
UK Germany
Do you agree that your country is influential in
European affairs?
Agree Don't agree Don't know

14
Cooperation within European union
58
39
49
76
18
47
46
13
24
14
5
11
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Germany should do more
Britain should do more
Germany should do more
Britain should do more
Who shoud be prepared to do more, spend more
and work more closely with other European
countries?
Agree Disagree Don't know
Fieldtime: February, 6th – 7th, 2012

15
Trade sanctions on Russia – British support stronger
21
27
36
23
43
50
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Germany
UK
Would you support or oppose trade sanctions on
Russia?
Support Oppose Don't know

16
Picking sides – British have a clearer view on Ukraine
5
4
53
33
32
47
10
6
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Germany
UK
Who do you have sympathy for?
The Russian government The new Ukrainian government
Neither Don't know

18
Women on boards of directors – stronger support in Germany
24
41
50
43
26
16
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
Would you support a law being introduced in your country that
forced companies to have a minimum number of women on their
board of directors?
Support Oppose Don't know
Fieldtime: Oktober, 19th – 28th, 2012

19
In which countries in the European Union do you think people
generally work the hardest?
The British view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Germany 43 %
2 UK 38 %
3 Poland 21 %
4 Sweden 11 %
5 Netherlands 7 %
The German view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Germany 46 %
2 Sweden 12 %
3 UK 10 %
3 Poland 10 %
3 Netherlands 10 %
Fieldtime: May, 23rd – 31th, 2013

20
Paid holidays – Germans have bigger expecatations
1
7
16
28
22
7
1
12
45
13
9
2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
50 or more days
35 to 49 days
30 to 34 days
25 to 29 days
20 to 24 days
0 to 19 days
In your opinion, what is the MINIMUM number of paid days of holidays
that workers in your country should receive each year?
Germany UK

21
In which countries in the European Union do you think people
generally work the least hard?
The British view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Greece 28 %
2 Spain 24 %
3 Italy 18 %
4 France 16 %
5 UK 11 %
The German view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Greece 33 %
2 Italy 19 %
3 Spain 16 %
4 Cyprus 13 %
5 Romania 11 %

23
How do we perceive each other?
N = 1,936 in Great Britain
Fieldtime: May, 2nd – 5th, 2014
N = 1,065 in Germany
The German view:
What‘s the first word that comes to mind when
you think about Great Britain?
The British view:
What‘s the first word that comes to mind when
you think about Germany?

24
Which European countries are the most important to Great Britain and
Germany?
The British view
RANK NAME SHARE
1 Germany 45 %
2 France 11 %
3 Russia 9 %
4 Italy 1 %
4 Spain 1 %
4 Netherlands 1 %
4 Switzerland 1 %
4 Norway 1 %
The German view
RANK NAME SHARE
1 France 35 %
2 Russia 20 %
3 Great Britain 8 %
4 Netherlands 1 %
4 Poland 1 %
4 Sweden 1 %
4 Italy 1 %
4 Spain 1 %

25
Admired countries – UK admires Germany, Germany admires China
24
18
11
6 6 2
10
17 18 15
9 5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Which countries do you admire the most?
UK Germany
Fieldtime: March, 15th – 20th, 2013

26
The British view: Very positive about Germany and Mutti
59
44
9 11
28
34
4
11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Germany Angela Merkel
Do you have positive or negative opinion of
Germany and Angela Merkel?
Positive Negative Neither Don't know

27
The German view: Positive about the UK, David who?
42
1211
14
41
60
6
14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Great Britain David Cameron
Do you have positive or negative opinion of Great
Britain and David Cameron?
Positive Negative Neither Don't know

28
Which descriptions apply the British to the German?
55
11
34
8
31
18
17
17
25
3
17
67
8
34
23
13
22
12
29
40
Hard-Working
Divided by social class
Lack a sense of humour
Live too much in the past
Arrogant
Honest
Fair-minded
Open to new ideas
Friendly
Drunk
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
How the British and the German rate each other
The British in the eye of the Germans Germans in the eye of the British

29
Most honest countries
The British view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Germany 20 %
2 Sweden 17 %
3 Denmark 11 %
4 Netherlands 10 %
5 Finland 7 %
The German view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Sweden 19 %
2 Denmark 16 %
3 Austria 13 %
4 Finland 12 %
5 Netherlands 11 %
6 UK 6 %

30
Most dishonest countries
The British view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Romania 20 %
2 Italy 13 %
3 Greece 12 %
4 Bulgaria 10 %
5 France 9 %
The German view
RANK COUNTRY SHARE
1 Greece 22 %
2 Romania 19 %
3 Poland 15 %
4 Italy 12 %
5 Bulgaria 11 %

32
Most admired people
UK
RANK NAME SHARE
1 The Queen 18,74%
2 Barack Obama 8,57%
3 Pope Francis 3,66%
4 Sir Richard Branson 3,43%
5 The Dalai Lama 3,09%
… … …
17 Angela Merkel 0,91%
Germany
RANK NAME SHARE
1 Pope Francis 16,13%
2 Angela Merkel 13,22%
3 Barack Obama 10,84%
4 Edward Snowden 8,20%
5 Bill Gates 3,44%
… … …
8 The Queen 0,82%
http://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/01/11/infographic-bill-gates-most-admired-world/

33
Comic Sans – Germans like it more
52
64
30
24
18
12
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
What is your opinion on Comic Sans?
Like Don't like Don't know
Fieldtime: April, 8th – 10th, 2014

34
Acceptance of usage of Comic Sans – Germans use it more
65
56
79
70
36
38
68
49
74
58
89
87
49
39
70
17
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
A poster for an event
A website
A comic book
A party invitation
A wedding invitation
An email or letter to a colleague
An email or letter to a friend
A notice posted at work
Do you think it is generally acceptable to use
Comic Sans in the following circumstances?
Germany UK

35
Most liked font – Arial & Times are prefered most
21
2
16
20
7
24
29
5
16
13
9
27
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Times New Roman
Courier
Comic Sans
Calibri
Broadway
Arial
Which font do you like the most?
Germany UK
Arial
Broadway
Calibri
Comic Sans
Courier
Times New Roman

36
Racism in football – perceived as a serious problem in England
46
32
37 35
3
1114
21
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
England Germany
Would you say that racism does or does not exist
in football in your country?
Is a serious problem Is not a serious problem
Doesn't exist in my country Don't know
Fieldtime: September, 9th – 15th, 2013

37
Homophobia in football – a common view in both countries
38
30
35 32
5 5
21 24
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
England Germany
Would you say that homophobia does or does not
exist in football in your country?
Is a serious problem Is not a serious problem
Doesn't exist in my country Don't know
Fieldtime: September, 9th – 15th, 2013

How about sex life of the two neighbors?

39
Proportion of sexual partners – similiar patterns in both nations
64
61
29
33
7
6
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
Approximately what proportion of your previous
sexual partners can you name?
Can recall all the names Cannot recall all the names Doesn't apply

40
Sexual behavior – very similar pattern in sexual habits
27
36
51
34
33
25
32
51
30
29
0 20 40 60 80 100
Been unfaithful
Had a one-night stand
Watched pornography
Had sex in a public space
Used a sex toy
Which of the following have you ever done?
Germany UK

41
Sexual performance – Englisch lovers are more self-critical
34
49
40
30
26
21
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
How would you rate your own sexual
performance?
Good Bad No answer

42
Quality of sex life – it could always be better
29
34
51
50
20
16
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
How would you rate the quality of your sex life at
the moment?
Good Bad No answer

44
Eurovision Song Contest – remain or leave?
36
54
45
26
19
20
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
Do you think your country should continue to compete in the
Eurovision Song Contest?
Yes No Don't know

45
Eurovision Song Contest – any benefits for Europe?
14
23
76
66
10
11
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
Dou you believe the Eurovision Song Contest
brings Europe closer together?
Yes No Don't know

46
Eurovision Song Contest – fair game or done-deal?
10
30
75
43
5
16
10
11
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
UK
Germany
Which of the following best represents your view?
All countries have a good chance of winning
Some countries suffer unfairly from political voting
Neither
Don't know

47
Summary
 There are a lot of similarities how British and German people see and perceive
the world
• In sexual life they are very close
• Their view on other neighbors are very similar
 The two neighbors like each other a lot, but the British admire Germany much
more as vice versa
• Germans see France as their most important partner and admire China the most – the British are
looking to Germany
• Germans are seen as not funny, a bit too arrogant and hard-working – even if Germans have much
bigger expectations for paid holiday
• The British are seen as „drunk“, „live too much in the past“ and „divided by social class“ – pictures of
bald, drunk hooligans on Spanish beaches seem to appear
 As expected the Germans are much more Pro-European, maybe due to the
higher-perceived influence that Germany seems to have

48
Holger Geißler
Board member
T +49 221 42061-344
F +49 221 42061-100
holger.geissler@yougov.de
Thank you for your kind attention!
YouGov
Gustav-Heinemann-Ufer 72
D-50968 Köln
www.yougov.de
research.yougov.de

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