Majority of 41% respondents support the election of Laschets as CDU leader, according to a survey.
In a recent survey, Friedrich Merz, the former CDU chairman, remains the preferred candidate for Chancellor of Germany among many eligible voters, particularly within the CDU/CSU voter base. Despite Armin Laschet's election as the new CDU chairman, Merz's influence persists.
The polls, conducted around mid-2025, suggest that the CDU/CSU is the leading party overall but with eroding support. While the CDU/CSU maintains a slight lead in voting intention (around 26.5% to 28%), far-right party AfD has gained strength, and public confidence in Merz's government's ability to deliver reforms is low.
Friedrich Merz, who served as Chancellor since May 2025, is linked with the CDU/CSU's current leadership and policy, but his approval ratings have declined. Only about 22% of Germans approve of his governance, and many perceive no improvement under his leadership.
Armin Laschet, who was elected as the new CDU chairman sometime before August 2025, influences party dynamics but is not the Chancellor candidate preferred by the broader public at present. Merz still represents the CDU/CSU’s chancellorship in public opinion, despite Laschet's internal party position.
The survey results, published on January 18, 2021, also reveal that if there were a direct election of the Chancellor in Germany, 34% would vote for Markus Söder, 16% for Olaf Scholz, and 18% for Robert Habeck.
If Armin Laschet were the union candidate, 25% would vote for him, and 18% each for Scholz or Habeck. However, it's worth noting that 7% would prefer another candidate, and 23% are still undecided.
The ability to integrate different factions within the party was named as an important argument before the election. Interestingly, even after the election of the new CDU chairman, CSU leader Markus Söder remains the favorite as the joint candidate for chancellor of the union parties for 36% of eligible voters.
The survey was conducted on January 16 and 17, with 2,014 eligible voters being surveyed. It also shows that the Union remains the strongest political force in Germany, with 35% of voting intentions. The FDP has improved by one percentage point, now at 7%, while the Greens have lost one percentage point, now at 19%.
The survey results also indicate that 51% of CDU supporters and 69% of CSU supporters support Söder. In contrast, 57% of CDU supporters and 43% of CSU supporters welcome the decision for Laschet. Furthermore, 56% of eligible voters are convinced that Laschet can "keep the various factions in the CDU together and lead them".
Interestingly, 17% of those surveyed believe that "Friedrich Merz would have been better able to do this". However, 70% of German citizens think it would be "inappropriate" if Merz became the new Minister of Economics before the federal election. Only 19% think it would be right if Merz became the new Minister of Economics before the federal election.
Lastly, 41% of German citizens welcome Armin Laschet as the new chairman of the CDU. No changes have been reported for the other parties compared to the Trendbarometer, so the SPD remains at 15%, the Left at 8%, and the AfD at 9%.
In conclusion, despite Armin Laschet being CDU chairman, Friedrich Merz remains the main preferred chancellor candidate by CDU supporters and many voters, though his overall public approval is weak, and polling suggests a challenging outlook for the CDU/CSU government going forward.
- In the domain of general news and policy-and-legislation, discussions concerning the CDU's leadership and the preferred chancellor candidate persist, with Friedrich Merz still being favored by many voters, particularly within the CDU/CSU voter base, despite Armin Laschet's position as the current CDU chairman.
- The politics of Germany reveal an ongoing narrative where other candidates, such as Markus Söder and Olaf Scholz, are also contenders for the chancellorship, but it appears Friedrich Merz still represents the CDU/CSU’s chancellorship in public opinion, as indicated by some polls in mid-2025.
