An ally of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sounded the alarm over declining public support for the ruling coalition, describing the latest opinion polls as “brutal.” Jens Spahn–leader of the parliamentary faction for Merz’s CDU/CSU bloc–told Politico on Friday that “the loss of confidence is significant, expectations are high, and scepticism is high.”
Since taking office in early May, the coalition with the leftist Social Democrats (SPD) has steadily lost popularity. Merz’s conservatives now find themselves neck and neck with the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), polling around 25–27% nationally, while the SPD has slipped further to 13–15%.
“We win together, we lose together. Right now, we’re losing together—the polls are brutal,” Spahn said.
Ongoing disputes within the coalition over judicial appointments and proposals such as the potential return of military conscription have weakened the government’s image. Merz’s “handling” of migration policy has also stirred controversy. For the third time since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, Afghans with German resettlement commitments are being flown from Pakistan to Germany, despite earlier program suspensions. Public concern over border control and migrant-related crime has contributed to frustration among voters.
Repeated coalition infighting has slowed promised reforms and hindered attempts to address Germany’s sputtering economy.
Meanwhile, the AfD has surged in popularity, reaching 27% nationally according to the latest Institut für neue soziale Antworten (INSA) poll for Bild, its highest score to date.
