Nine out of ten representatives of business, politics and public administration in Germany believe that Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government is too weak to solve the country’s problems. Only 9% assess the governing black-red coalition as sufficiently strong. The data come from a new elite survey by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research, commissioned by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Capital magazine. A total of 504 leaders from the worlds of business, politics and public administration took part.
The assessment of the German economy is also gloomy. 58% of managers describe the country as a “rather good” or “very good” economic environment, while just over 32% express a positive opinion. According to 59% of the business representatives surveyed, no major reforms will be adopted by the end of the current legislative term.
Companies prepare for layoffs
The labor market is showing further signs of cooling. The share of executives who say their companies are planning layoffs has risen from 26% in 2024 to 42%. At the same time, only 28% are looking for new employees, compared with 50% two years ago. The condition of the companies themselves, however, remains better than the overall assessment of the economy: 65% describe their order books as good or very good, while 33% rate them as poor.
Dobrindt leads, Klingbeil receives the lowest rating
Among the ministers, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt receives the highest rating. 86% of participants believe he is doing a good job, while 10% hold the opposite view. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius ranks second, with 76% positive ratings. Digital Affairs Minister Karsten Wildberger and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul each receive 65% approval.
The weakest results are recorded for Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil. Only 16% rate his performance positively, while 81% are critical. Among those surveyed, 35% give a positive assessment of Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, while 60% rate her negatively.
“Too weak to solve the problems”This is how the survey formulates the main concern about the government’s ability to act effectively. If a successor to Merz were to be sought, North Rhine-Westphalia Minister-President Hendrik Wüst would receive the most support among the leaders surveyed, at 47%. He is followed by Alexander Dobrindt at 19% and Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder at 16%.
Support for the “firewall” is declining
The survey also records a change in attitudes toward the Alternative for Germany. The share of leaders calling for complete separation and ruling out cooperation with the party has fallen from 51% in February to 42% in October. At the same time, the share of those allowing for limited cooperation has risen from 40% to 51%.
Foreign-policy risks also play an important role in the assessments. A significant majority of those surveyed describe the threat from Russia as high or very high, with cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage and the use of drones among the risks cited.