EU's Stance Regarding the AfD (Alternative for Germany) Party

In the latest poll, the Union could potentially boost its lead over the AfD.

The chosen Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) doesn't seem to win the approval of many in the current ZDF Politbarometer.

The most loved politician belongs to the SPD ranks.

With a new coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD almost in sight after the SPD members' vote, genuine excitement seems to be lacking. Only 48% of Germans view the grand coalition favorably, whereas 37% reject it, and a mere 10% remain indifferent. The poll reveals this. There is also a sharp division on the problem-solving competence of black-red: While 48% believe the coalition can set decisive impulses, nearly as many (47%) have their doubts about the coalition moving the nation forward.

It appears a government led by Merz might be more palatable to the majority of Germans than Merz himself. The Union chairman receives support from only 38% of the population, while 56% strongly oppose his chancellorship. Interestingly, the polarization of Merz is most evident among SPD supporters, as 62% would not mind a Merz-led government, compared to 32% who can live with him at the helm.

When it comes to the key issues for the next government, the economy takes first place: 45% of those surveyed highlight it as the most pressing field of action. Social issues follow in second with 21%, while asylum and refugees rank third with 12%. Defense and climate protection share the fourth spot with 10% each. However, a significant number remain undecided or unclear (12%).

The Left manages to grab double-digit support

In a hypothetical federal election, the forces would undergo slight shifts. The Union gains an extra point and stands at 27%, while the AfD drops one percentage point and settles at 23%. The SPD stagnates at 15%, the Greens slip to 11%. Surprisingly, the Left scores double digits with 10%. The FDP and BSW both remain unchanged at 4% and 3% respectively. The others accumulate 7%, but none surpasses the 3% threshold. Politically explosive: Even a renewed coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD would not attain a parliamentary majority.

The Poll Results of Forschungsgruppe Wahlen

Union: 27% (+1)
AfD: 23% (-1)
SPD: 15% (unchanged)
Greens: 11% (-1)
Left: 10% (unchanged)
BSW: 3% (unchanged)
FDP: 4% (unchanged)
Others: 7% (+1)

When it comes to public sympathy and performance, Boris Pistorius continues to reign supreme. The defense minister maintains his unchallenged lead on the 5-point scale; he now scores an average of 2.3. He solidifies his advantage over April, who stands at 1.9. Gregor Gysi follows in third place with 1.0, closely pursued by SPD Secretary-General Lars Klingbeil with 0.8. Robert Habeck holds a neutral score of 0.0, showing a slight decline.

Baerbock, Wagenknecht, and Weidel reside at the bottom. Markus Söder and Friedrich Merz (both at -0.3) share the negative segment, with Merz showing an upward trend after his past low point. The federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz sinks to a disappointing -0.6, while Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock even drops to eighth place with a score of -0.7. Sahra Wagenknecht languishes in seventh place with -1.7, while Alice Weidel remains constant at the very bottom with a score of -2.4.

The poll for the Politbarometer was conducted by the Mannheimer Forschungsgruppe Wahlen with 1,297 randomly selected voters between April 28th and 30th, 2025, both by telephone and online. The margin of error is approximately +/- three percentage points at a 40% share, and +/- two percentage points at a 10% share.

This article was initially published in May 2025 by Welt.

The majority of Germans do not trust Friedrich Merz, with only 21% considering him trustworthy.
40% view Friedrich Merz as a strong leader, reflecting a 9-point drop since January 2025.
Skepticism remains high regarding the coalition’s ability to address critical issues like economic recovery.
Germans tolerate the CDU/CSU and SPD alliance pragmatically, despite reservations about Friedrich Merz's leadership.
Public focus on economic issues underscores the challenge for the coalition to deliver tangible results and ease skepticism.
The Politbarometer results reveal that only 21% of Germans trust Friedrich Merz, the potential Chancellor of the Union.
Despite his leadership potential, evident in 40% of Germans viewing him as strong, skepticism remains high regarding the coalition's ability to address critical issues like economic recovery.
In a hypothetical federal election, the Left party scores double digits with 10%, marking a surprising shift in political support.
A renewed coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD would not attain a parliamentary majority, as per the Poll Results of Forschungsgruppe Wahlen.
Public focus on economic issues underscores the challenge for the coalition to deliver tangible results and ease skepticism, a key concern in general news and policy-and-legislation discussions.