Poll shows two-thirds of Germans dissatisfied with Merz

The far-right AfD maintains its lead over the governing coalition, according to the most recent poll.

A new poll released on Saturday indicates that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s approval rating has reached a new low and is still declining.

An INSA survey reveals that almost two-thirds of Germans are currently unhappy with their chancellor, marking a 20-point increase from 45% in early June. Concurrently, the percentage of those satisfied with the chancellor has dropped from 36% to a mere 23%.

Simultaneously, the poll suggests that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) continues to surpass the governing coalition, composed of the center-right CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats. The coalition’s support holds steady at 25%, whereas the right-wing opposition party maintains 26%, positioning it as the nation’s leading political power.

Additionally, the survey indicates that Chancellor Merz’s coalition allies are facing difficulties, as the Social Democrats, Greens, and The Left all show declining support. Minor parties like the Free Democrats and Sahra Wagenknecht’s BSW continue to fall short of the minimum requirement for parliamentary entry.

Merz, who assumed office in May, has committed to revitalizing Germany’s slow economy, bolstering its military, and ensuring ongoing aid for Ukraine, all while advocating for significant reductions in the welfare system.

Nevertheless, a recent analysis by the insurer R+V Versicherung indicated that his electoral pledges are increasingly misaligned with the public’s primary concerns. Germans identified the escalating cost of living, issues related to immigrants and refugees, elevated taxes, and prospective reductions in social benefits as their foremost anxieties.