Most German citizens express doubts about Chancellor's crisis management abilities
In a survey conducted by Forsa on behalf of broadcasters RTL and ntv, public trust in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's crisis management skills in Germany has been found to be quite low.
The survey, which polled 1,005 people and was conducted in early August 2025, revealed that only 29% of respondents expressed satisfaction with Merz's overall performance, marking the lowest approval rating since he took office in May 2025[1][2]. Additionally, just 19% of Germans believe the CDU/CSU, Merz's party bloc, can effectively handle the country's problems[1].
The survey indicates a broader decline in confidence in the ruling coalition's ability to manage national challenges, with growing dissatisfaction surrounding his crisis management[2]. Only 38% of federal citizens believe that Chancellor Friedrich Merz will successfully lead Germany through current crises and challenges.
However, among the Chancellor's own party members, the Union, he receives the most support. 72% of Union supporters trust Chancellor Friedrich Merz to manage crises. This support is also shared among Green, Left, and CDU/CSU supporters, with a majority viewing the Union as the dominant coalition partner in the government. Green supporters have the strongest assessment of the Union as the dominant coalition partner (72%), while Left supporters also have a significant assessment (65%).
In contrast, among SPD supporters, 54% trust Chancellor Friedrich Merz to manage crises. SPD voters see their own party as the dominant coalition partner slightly more often (34%).
The survey findings suggest a stronger perception of the Union's political assertiveness within the government compared to the SPD. The Union receives the most positive assessments as the dominant coalition partner among all parties surveyed.
Among AfD voters, only 7% trust Chancellor Friedrich Merz's leadership strength, while 91% have doubts. AfD supporters tend to see the SPD as the dominant coalition partner (47%).
The survey results also indicate that among Green supporters, 45% trust Chancellor Friedrich Merz to manage crises, while among all parties surveyed, the SPD is perceived as the dominant coalition partner least frequently (27%).
[1] Source: RTL, ntv, and Forsa Institute survey, August 2025 [2] Source: Die Welt newspaper, August 2025
- The survey results show that a significant number of Germans (38%) believe Chancellor Friedrich Merz will successfully lead the country through current crises and challenges, but policy-and-legislation related confidence is also low, with only 19% of Germans believing the CDU/CSU, Merz's party bloc, can effectively handle the country's problems.
- The survey conducted by Forsa on behalf of broadcasters RTL and ntv revealed that among political parties, the Union (Chancellor Merz's party) receives the most positive assessments as the dominant coalition partner in the government, with 72% of Union supporters trusting Merz to manage crises, while the SPD is perceived as the dominant coalition partner least frequently (27%).
