Almost one in three Germans think the Catholic and Protestant churches should merge, but slightly more oppose the idea, according to a new poll.

The survey, carried out by INSA-Consulere for the Protestant news agency IDEA, found 31% in favour and 34% against, with 28% unsure and 7% giving no answer. It questioned 2,010 adults between 23 and 26 October, and IDEA describes the results as representative of the adult population.

Catholics were the most supportive, with 44% in favour and 30% against. Among members of the mainline Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), 35% backed a merger and 42% opposed it. Free church members were the most resistant: half were against and 39% in favour.

Outside the churches, 38% of Muslims surveyed supported a merger, compared with 19% of people with no religious affiliation. Women (33%) were slightly more in favour than men (29%). Support was highest among 18 to 29-year-olds and over-70s (35% each) and lowest among 60 to 69-year-olds (24%).

It comes as both big churches show signs of shrinking. The EKD Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, or Protestant Church in Germany ended 2025 with about 17.4 million members, down 3.2%, and the Catholic Church with 19.2 million is down 2.6%. Germany’s free evangelical churches, however, are growing, with baptisms on profession of faith up about 76% over four years, to 2,624.