Has the church’s tax coffers soon run out?
According to an INSA survey for BILD, 67 percent of Germans support the abolition of the church tax. Among Catholics, the percentage of opponents is even higher at 68 percent!
Only 16 percent of all respondents are against the abolition of the church tax. 16 percent currently do not know how to position themselves on this. Two percent do not want to answer this question.
BACKGROUND: Although the number of people leaving the church is at a record high – 360,000 people left the Catholic Church in 2021 – church tax revenues are higher than ever: 12.7 billion euros.
︎ The state collected 6.7 billion euros for the 27 Catholic dioceses.
▶︎ Almost 6 billion euros for the EKD.
Among the Protestants surveyed, 65 percent are in favor of abolishing the church tax, compared to 45 to 55 percent from all other denomination groups. As expected: Among the non-denominational, even 71 percent are in favor of abolishing the church tax.
Eichstätt Bishop Gregor Hanke (68) calls for a rethink in BILD: “The church is well advised to look for alternative financing methods, since the German church tax system is not likely to be a model for the future.” However, an “abrupt exit” from the system is not possible .
BUT: A system in which every taxpayer gives part of his income for a good cause – although with the option of choosing the recipient for churches, aid organizations, environmental organizations – is approved by 55 percent of those questioned by INSA.