Chancellor Merz's crisis management approach faces uncertainty and skepticism after 100 days in office
New Survey Reveals Low Approval Ratings for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Crisis Management
In a recent Forsa survey commissioned by RTL and ntv, only 29% of respondents expressed satisfaction with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's crisis management performance, marking the lowest approval rating since he took office in May 2025**. This figure represents a decline of three percentage points from the prior poll.
The survey, which involved 1,005 participants and was conducted on Monday and Tuesday, also revealed that 67% of respondents are dissatisfied with Merz's performance. Public confidence in the federal government’s ability to address Germany's problems has dropped significantly, with only 19% trusting the CDU/CSU (Merz’s party) to manage the country's challenges effectively.
The survey further indicates that support for the governing CDU/CSU-SPD coalition has declined to 37% combined, with the far-right AfD party polling ahead of the CDU/CSU at 26%.
Interestingly, the survey did not provide information on the trust levels of citizens in other political leaders. However, it did reveal that among AfD supporters, only 7% believe in Merz's leadership strength, while 91% express doubts. Among SPD supporters, 54% trust Merz to manage crises, while 45% of Greens supporters and 72% of Union supporters share this sentiment.
The survey also found that the Union is perceived as the dominant coalition partner in the German government, with 50% of surveyed citizens agreeing. The SPD is seen as the dominant coalition partner by 27% of respondents, while among Left supporters, 65% perceive the Union as the dominant coalition partner. Among CDU/CSU supporters, 63% perceive the Union as the dominant coalition partner, and among Greens supporters, 72% perceive the Union as the dominant coalition partner.
The Forsa survey did not specify the crises or challenges being referred to. However, the low approval ratings for Merz's crisis management performance suggest that the public is concerned about the government's ability to navigate through current challenges.
[1] Source: Forsa survey commissioned by RTL and ntv. [2] Additional data from the survey.
The survey results showed that a majority of respondents, 67%, are dissatisfied with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's performance, and public trust in the CDU/CSU to manage Germany's problems has dropped significantly, with only 19% expressing trust. This low approval rating for Merz's crisis management follows a New Survey Revealing general-news about his poor performance. The survey also hints at political-and-legislation implications, as the drop in public trust and increased dissatisfaction may influence the politics of Germany.
