Two polls published recently in Germany show devastating results for the governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The surveys, conducted by the Forsa Institute and INSA, also indicate the seemingly unstoppable rise of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) nationwide.

According to an INSA poll conducted for Bild, the largest share of Germans (25 per cent) want the right-wing, anti-immigration party to provide the country’s next chancellor, placing it six percentage points ahead of the CDU. The other party in the governing coalition, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), ranks third with 13 per cent, followed closely by the Greens with 12 per cent. Meanwhile, 19 per cent of respondents do not express a preference.

INSA also found that the most preferred coalition among voters would be between the CDU and AfD. The so-called ‘black–blue’ coalition is favoured by 26 per cent of Germans. The traditional left-wing coalition, composed of the SPD, the Greens, and The Left (Die Linke), ranks second with 24 per cent, while the current CDU–SPD coalition comes third with 23 per cent. The largest group, however, remains undecided, at 27 per cent.

AfD führt auch bei Kanzlerfrage!

25 Prozent der Befragten möchten, dass die AfD den nächsten Bundeskanzler oder die nächste Bundeskanzlerin stellen soll!
26 Prozent der Deutschen wünschen sich eine Koalition aus Union und AfD!https://t.co/NAaqIX7mtk pic.twitter.com/UGrvTUzfzZ

— 🇩🇪LilitThyra🩶 (@LilitThyra) May 5, 2026

The second poll, conducted by the Forsa Institute and commissioned by RTL and ntv, focused on the performance of the current governing coalition. According to the results, only 11 per cent of Germans are satisfied with the CDU–SPD grand coalition, while 87 per cent are dissatisfied, suggesting a dramatic collapse in approval compared to a similar poll conducted in July 2025, when the figures stood at 38 and 58 per cent respectively.

Dissatisfaction is widespread across the country but more pronounced in eastern Germany, where it reaches 91 per cent, compared to 87 per cent in the west. Eastern Germany remains the traditional stronghold of AfD.

Looking at approval by party preference, the situation appears even more severe. A majority of CDU voters (56 per cent) are dissatisfied with the government’s performance, a figure that exceeds 80 per cent among SPD voters. Among opposition voters, disapproval of Merz’s cabinet reaches as high as 99 per cent.

‘Among opposition voters, disapproval of Merz’s cabinet reaches as high as 99 per cent’

In terms of Merz’s personal approval, only 17 per cent of respondents believe he is performing better than his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, while 42 per cent consider him worse. Moreover, just 10 per cent think he can recover from the current loss of credibility and trust, whereas 82 per cent believe his position is irreparably damaged.

Assessing the government’s performance across policy areas, the coalition performs relatively best on immigration, with 32 per cent of voters satisfied with how the Merz administration is handling the issue, although 60 per cent remain dissatisfied. On infrastructure, the government is widely seen as failing, with 83 per cent dissatisfied. Similarly, on the economy, prices, and the social system, 89 per cent of respondents disapprove of the government’s performance.

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