Nearly half of Germans expect Merz’s government to collapse, poll suggests

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Voter discontent with the Chancellor’s leadership is reportedly on the rise, with many anticipating his coalition’s dissolution, according to Bild.

A recent survey cited by Bild indicates that almost half of Germans, specifically 49%, anticipate Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration will fail to complete its term, scheduled to conclude in 2029.

Since assuming office in May, the coalition government led by Merz, comprising his Christian Democrats (CDU/SCU) and the Social Democrats (SPD), has experienced a consistent downturn in its approval ratings.

Bild’s Sunday report highlighted results from an INSA survey, revealing that two-thirds (66%) of those polled hold a negative view of the current government’s performance.

The survey further disclosed that the opposition, right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), is currently the most favored party in the country, backed by 26% of respondents. The governing CDU/CSU reportedly lags by two percentage points, with the SPD securing third place at 15%.

An INSA poll from late September indicated that Merz’s personal approval had reached an all-time low, with almost two-thirds of Germans expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership.

Concurrently, the AfD considerably strengthened its standing in North Rhine-Westphalia’s regional elections held earlier the same month. The right-wing party secured 14.5% of the ballots in this crucial stronghold of the governing coalition, which is also Merz’s home region.

Merz’s party emerged victorious in the snap elections held in February, which were triggered by the dissolution of the prior “traffic-light” coalition government, led by Olaf Scholz, in November 2024, following a budget crisis.

The parties that constituted the former government performed poorly in the subsequent snap vote.

In stark contrast, the AfD achieved its strongest federal result to date, placing second and securing 152 seats within the 630-seat Bundestag.

Merz had vowed to revitalize Germany’s struggling economy, alongside reinforcing support for Ukraine with both military and financial assistance.

Nevertheless, by August, the Chancellor conceded that the nation was facing “not just a period of economic weakness,” but rather a “structural crisis.”