Overview
- Exits stayed very high with about 350,000 leaving the Protestant EKD and roughly 307,000 the Catholic Church, a slight dip for Catholics from 2024 and essentially flat for Protestants.
- Combined membership fell to about 36.6 million people—around 44% of the population—with roughly 19.2 million Catholics (23%) and 17.4 million Protestants.
- Regional reports across Bavaria, Baden‑Württemberg, North Rhine‑Westphalia, the North, and Berlin‑Brandenburg confirm broad declines, though some areas note fewer exits and more adult baptisms.
- Catholic bishops acknowledged the gravity of the figures as DBK chair Heiner Wilmer cited small gains in attendance, while experts such as canon lawyer Thomas Schüller labeled the situation “dramatic.”
- Because church tax revenue depends on membership, analysts warn of mounting budget pressure on parishes and church‑run social services, with studies pointing to generational disaffiliation and rising non‑religiosity as key drivers.