Worries mount as public trust in this individual barely exceeds two percent. - Distrusting this individual with a mere 2% certainty.
In a recent survey conducted by Forsa, Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centre-right bloc, has been deemed not very or not at all trustworthy by 75% of Germans. The poll, which took place on Thursday and Friday of last week, surveyed 1008 respondents and has a statistical error tolerance of +/- 3 percentage points, making it representative.
The survey results come amidst ongoing criticism and scrutiny of Spahn's role in pandemic-era procurement decisions, which have reportedly cost Germany billions of euros. The main topic up until Thursday was the procurement of masks during the Corona period, with Spahn's actions as federal minister of health being criticized for leading to billions in additional costs.
The mistrust is not limited to the general public. Most supporters of The Left (89%), AfD (86%), Greens (84%), and even the coalition partner SPD (67%) mistrust Spahn. This suggests that public trust in Spahn may be polarized, especially given ongoing discussions about the fallout from his actions during the pandemic.
Despite the conservative party led by Chancellor Merz experiencing rising approval ratings, these ratings do not directly reflect on individual leaders such as Spahn. However, the survey found that only 2% of Germans find him very trustworthy, and another 18% find him mostly trustworthy.
The survey results have sparked calls for a parliamentary inquiry by the Bundestag regarding the mask procurement, with the Greens and The Left leading the charge.
In a separate issue, Spahn initially signaled to the coalition partner SPD that their candidate would be accepted for the position of federal constitutional judge, but he later withdrew his support after internal criticism of the candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf.
The crisis management of Spahn came into focus on Friday, after the election of federal constitutional judges was removed from the agenda. It remains to be seen how these developments will impact his standing within the party and the broader German population.
The survey's findings, amidst ongoing criticisms over Spahn's pandemic-era procurement decisions, indicate that both the general public and political parties such as The Left, AfD, Greens, and even coalition partner SPD, hold mistrust towards him. This mistrust is reflected in the policy-and-legislation realm, as calls for a parliamentary inquiry by the Bundestag regarding the mask procurement issue have arisen, supported by parties like the Greens and The Left. In a separate matter, Spahn's politics, particularly his handling of the federal constitutional judge election, have been under scrutiny following his withdrawal of support for the candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, causing speculation about his standing within the party and the German population.
