Voters are increasingly dissatisfied with the chancellor’s leadership and expect his coalition to collapse, Bild has claimed
Nearly half of Germans (49%) believe Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government will collapse before its term ends in 2029, according to a recent poll cited by Bild.
Having taken power in May, Merz’s coalition government consisting of his Christian Democrats (CDU/SCU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) has seen its approval ratings steadily declining.
In a piece on Sunday, Bild cited the findings of a survey conducted by the pollster INSA, according to which 66% of respondents view the current government’s performance negatively.
The opposition right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the most popular party in Germany, enjoying the support of 26% of respondents, the survey shows. The ruling CDU/CSU is reportedly two percentage points behind, while the SPD came in third with 15%.
In late September, an INSA survey suggested that Merz’s approval rating had hit its lowest point, with nearly two out of three Germans dissatisfied with his performance.
Meanwhile, the AfD significantly improved its position in North Rhine-Westphalia’s regional elections earlier that month. The right-wing party garnered 14.5% of the vote in the ruling coalition’s key stronghold, where Merz hails from.
Merz’s party won the February snap elections after the previous traffic-light coalition government with Olaf Scholz at the helm collapsed in November 2024 due to a budget crisis.
The constituent parties had a dismal showing in the snap vote that followed.
By contrast, the AfD came in second – its best result on the federal level to date – securing 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag.
Merz pledged to revive Germany’s ailing economy, while also doubling down on backing Ukraine with military and financial aid.
However, in August, the chancellor acknowledged that the country was “not just in a period of economic weakness,” but a “structural crisis.”
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