Union Steps Ahead of AfD in Latest Polls
The Union's Distance from AfD: Proximity in Politics Debated
Germany's federal chancellor, Merz, might have taken the reins for a month, but happiness with his performance is hard to find. Meanwhile, the Union's standing is on the rise again, though it's still not as high as it was during the February federal election.
In a favorable turn of events, the Union is now four points ahead of the AfD for the first time since mid-March. The polling institute Forsa, working for RTL and ntv trend barometer, reports that the CDU and CSU have gained a point in voter popularity, landing at 27%, while the AfD has dropped one point, hitting 23%.
The SPD has remained steady at 15%, much to the delight of party members. The Union and the SPD are still below their February federal election results – the Union with 28.5% and the SPD with 16.4%.
Good news for the Greens as they've gained one percentage point, reaching 12%. The Left has maintained their present position of 11%, and the BSW, led by Sahra Wagenknecht, is holding at 3%. The FDP has slipped by one point in the past week. The number of undecided and non-voters remains above the proportion of non-voters seen in the last federal election, which stood at 17.9%.
The Union parties are also scoring better on political competence. The CDU and CSU are now deemed best equipped to handle Germany's challenges by 26%, an increase of 2 percentage points from the previous week. Only 8% believe this of the SPD, a decrease of 1 percentage point. The AfD is seen as most politically competent by 11%, the Greens by 6%, and the Left by 5%. A staggering 42% of Germans do not trust any of the parties with political competence.
Merz's satisfaction ratings are disappointing. Despite the Union's rising values, only 37% are content with his performance, while 54% express dissatisfaction. This marks a slight decrease in satisfaction compared to the previous week. In the west, 38% are content, while in the east, 29% are pleased.
The data for the RTL/ntv trend barometer was compiled by the market and opinion research institute Forsa between May 27 and June 2. The sample size contained 2,002 respondents, with a statistical error tolerance of plus/minus 2.5 percentage points. Analysis of political competence was based on 803 respondents, while 1,003 weigh in on the satisfaction with Merz.
Forsa details - Dive deeper into Forsa's surveys for RTL Germany.
Sources: ntv.de, gho/cwo
- RTL/ntv-Trendbarometer
- CDU
- CSU
- SPD
- FDP
- Greens (Alliance 90/The Greens)
- The Left (Die Linke)
- BSW (Bavaria State Party)
- Friedrich Merz
[1] We've bundled the CDU and CSU results together since they are commonly treated as a single entity in German politics.
- Additionally to the recent poll advancements, the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation within the context of policy-and-legislation and general news, as the Union continues to show political competence in handling Germany's challenges.
- The rising Union party standing and subsequent four-point lead over the AfD has attracted attention in German politics, but the general public remains dissatisfied with Friedrich Merz's performance as the federal chancellor, with only 37% expressing contentment.
