I'm a simple emigrant and I looked to see how Germany is respected around the world

Since childhood I remember people's attitude: #madeinGermany – it's immediately a sign of quality. And domestic, often, was slagged. Then, when I moved, it amused me to realize that here, conversely, Made in Germany is the domestic. And, from my observations, for locals their own is also perceived as the best. This influence – the reputation and spread of culture – is called soft power. And I decided to look at how Germany feels itself in the Global Soft Power Index, because lately only the lazy don’t go after it. To compile this ranking, Brand Finance conducts a survey of 170,000+ people from 100+ countries. They evaluate all UN member states on two equally weighted parts: ▪️3 key KPIs: awareness, reputation and influence. ▪️8 thematic blocks: business and trade, governance, international relations, education and science, ecology, culture, media and people/values. Germany in the 2026 ranking occupies 5th place. For context, out of 193 countries. It is steadily in the world top-3 for Education and Science, top-4 for Technology – though right now it is here that the country has lost the most points due to a less noticeable role in the AI race. It is also one of the leaders in terms of order and transparency of institutions. Even locals strongly trust their courts and police, and somewhat less the agencies. In the block “Business and Trade” the Germans have also done well. So, for respondents from around the world, “Made in Germany” is still a synonym for quality. Main negatives are the economy, future technologies and entertainment. People see that Germany's automotive industry and heavy industry are currently struggling. Moreover, Germany hardly spreads anything from mass culture. No Hollywood, K-pop, or anime—by the attributes “Friendliness” and “Entertainment,” Germany sits somewhere in the second half of the first hundred. This index has been tracked since 2020, and since then Germany has never ranked below fifth. In the first couple of years it was actually second, behind only the USA, and then at the top. In 2021, surprisingly, it was the pandemic, Merkel's crisis measures and German medicine that people liked and propelled the country to first place. So, it seems that Germany's hard skills are good, but the soft skills are lacking, whether in terms of time or desire. It seems that life inside, especially for immigrants or those who travel a lot and can compare, is exactly how it feels. And how do you feel these results where you are? #top5