The study published on Wednesday shows that most Germans want their country to take a more independent position from the United States, especially on issues as vital as national security and sovereign diplomacy.

A majority of 57 percent of German respondents opted for a more independent approach, according to the Transatlantic Trends survey, which is up from only 40 percent back in 2013. What is even more interesting is that just 19 percent of Germans say they want to have a closer relationship with the United States – compared to 34 percent of Americans who wanted their country to get cozier with Germany.

In Europe as a whole, 50 percent of respondents opted for a more independent security relationship with the United States, which is up eight percent from last year.

“The turbulence in transatlantic relations over the past year is mirrored in this year’s Transatlantic Trends data,” says GMF President Karen Donfried, adding that the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine “underscore the importance of strengthened transatlantic cooperation.”

The US and Germany have been at odds in a spying row ever since Edward Snowden's National Security Agency revelations in June 2013. In October, it was revealed the NSA had been spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's calls since 2002. A German parliamentary committee has since been holding hearings on the NSA’s spying activities in Germany.

The favorability of the United States in Germany has dropped from 68 percent in 2013 to 58 percent this year.

In Germany, a positive opinion of US President Barack Obama’s international policies dropped by 20 percentage points to 56 percent, with 38 percent of respondents disagreeing with them. The results back those of a survey in July which showed support for Obama had fallen in Germany.

NTJ/NJF