The six-month summary of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s tenure does not look favorable for him. Nearly three-quarters of Germans are dissatisfied with his performance. The Christian Democrats are also faring poorly in the polls, once again overtaken by the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Friedrich Merz took office as Chancellor of Germany on May 6, replacing the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz. Exactly half a year later, a survey conducted by the Forsa Institute shows that as many as 72% of citizens are dissatisfied with his work, while only 25% express a positive opinion.
According to Manfred Guellner, head of the Forsa Institute, the low approval ratings for the Christian Democratic chancellor are linked to the fact that more and more Germans view the economic situation as the country’s biggest problem. Currently, 60% of respondents consider the state of the economy to be issue number one – a 6-percentage-point increase compared to the October survey.
Christian Democrats in Second Place
The polling figures for individual parties are no better for the CDU/CSU. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is in the lead and could count on 26% of the vote. The Christian Democrats follow closely behind, also with 26% support.
Next come the Social Democratic SPD (14%), the Greens (12%), and The Left (12%). The latter party enjoys significant popularity among young Germans – 39% of students and pupils declare that they would vote for it.