Recent polling data indicates that support for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reached a historic low, with only 21% of respondents approving of his performance. This decline, reported by the ARD-Deutschlandtrend, reflects a significant drop in public confidence since he took office.
The survey, conducted by Infratest dimap, shows that Merz’s approval rating has decreased by eight percentage points since March 2026. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil’s rating has seen an even steeper decline, falling 15 percentage points to a mere 18%.
Public dissatisfaction with the coalition government formed by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is pronounced, with 84% of survey participants expressing discontent. Should elections for the Bundestag occur now, the CDU would secure approximately 26% of the vote, while the SPD would garner only 12%, mirroring their lowest performance from 2019.
In contrast, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained traction, achieving 25% support, an increase of two percentage points. The Green Party and the Left Party have also seen slight improvements, rising one percentage point each to 14% and 10%, respectively.
The findings stem from a representative survey conducted by Infratest dimap, which involved interviews with 1,316 eligible voters over the last two days of March.
The latest ARD-Deutschlandtrend survey reveals a significant decline in public support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with only 21% approval. This dissatisfaction extends to the coalition government, as the far-right AfD gains ground in the political landscape.