Dissatisfaction with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the German federal government has reached a new record. According to data from a new INSA poll published by “Bild”, 82 percent of respondents disapprove of Merz’s performance. Only 13 percent gave the chancellor a positive rating.
This marks a sharp deterioration compared with the beginning of the year. In January, 67 percent were dissatisfied with Merz’s performance, while the share of those approving of it stood at 24 percent. The same 82 percent who criticize the chancellor are also dissatisfied with the performance of the black-red government. The share of those satisfied with the cabinet is 13 percent.
Most Germans see their personal situation worsening
Assessment of the government is also linked to perceptions of changes in people’s personal lives. Six in ten respondents say that their personal situation has worsened under the coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. For 29 percent, there has been no change, while only 6 percent report an improvement.
CDU/CSU falls below 20 percent
In the so-called Sunday poll, the Alternative for Germany receives 29 percent and leads the CDU/CSU by ten percentage points. The alliance between the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union has fallen to 19 percent, one point lower than in the previous survey.
The Greens follow with 15 percent, the SPD with 14 percent and the Left with 10 percent. The Free Democratic Party receives 5 percent. The data come from a survey of 1,004 people conducted on November 5 and 6, with a maximum statistical margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Klingbeil defends disputes within the coalition
Against the backdrop of the negative ratings, SPD leader and Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil defended the public disagreements with the coalition partner. He said that when a proposal by a CDU minister does not work, the Social Democrats must point it out.
“If a proposal does not work, the SPD must say so,” Lars Klingbeil said.The poll shows both declining support for the governing alliance and record-low ratings for the chancellor and the cabinet. Merz’s party remains in second place, while the Alternative for Germany maintains a significant lead.
Sources: bild.de, t-online.de, tz.de