Lourenço, Tiago Manuel CapelaWagner, Frederik Niklas2025-05-052025-05-052025-02Wagner, Frederik Niklas (2025). “The influence of populism on the energy transition in Germany”. Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade de Lisboa. Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestãohttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/100396The energy transition is a critical component of climate change mitigation, yet its success depends not only on technological advancements and policy frameworks but also on societal acceptance. In Germany, however, this transition faces growing resistance due to the rise of far-right populist parties, which frame sustainable energy policies as elitist and economically harmful. This political shift threatens the country’s decarbonization efforts and, with it, broader climate targets. This thesis examines how populist attitudes influence the social acceptance of sustainable energy technologies (SETs), focusing on the recent controversy surrounding heat pumps. Using a survey-based quantitative approach, two indices were developed: the Sustainable Energy Acceptance Index (SEA) and the Populist Attitudes Index (PAI). Analysis of 335 responses reveals a statistically significant negative correlation between populist attitudes and the acceptance of SETs (r = -0.22, p<0.001), supporting the hypothesis that stronger populist beliefs are linked to lower acceptance of renewable energy. Political party preference played a key role, with AfD supporters showing the lowest acceptance of SETs, while Die Grünen voters exhibited the highest. These findings underscore the challenge of increasing political polarization in Germany’s energy transition. Countering populist narratives and improving communication on the benefits of renewable energy are essential to securing public support for climate policies.engPopulismSustainable EnergySocial AcceptancePolitical AttitudesEnergy TransitionPublic Perceptionmaster thesis