Majority of Germans Dissatisfied with Merz

By Staff, Agencies

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s approval rating has fallen to a historic low, according to a new poll released on Sunday.

In an INSA survey commissioned by the newspaper Bild, 62% of respondents said they were unhappy with Merz’s performance, a three-point increase from last month, while 63% expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition of the center-right CDU and the Social Democrats. 

Only 26% approved of Merz’s work, and just 23% backed his government.

A separate study by the insurance company R+V Versicherung, published last week, found that Germans are most concerned about the rising cost of living, the immigration and refugee crisis, as well as high taxes and potential welfare cuts.

Merz, who took office in May, has pledged to revive the stagnant economy, strengthen the military, and help secure continued US support for Ukraine.

The right-wing, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany [AfD] party has strongly criticized the government’s decision to allocate taxpayer money to Ukraine instead of addressing domestic needs. 

The AfD is currently the second-largest force in the Bundestag and is leading in national polls.