Poll indicates AfD now Germany’s most popular party
(MENAFN) The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) has overtaken Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc to become Germany’s most popular party, according to the latest RTL/ntv ‘Trendbarometer’ survey. The AfD now polls at a record 26%, one point ahead of the ruling CDU/CSU coalition, which has fallen to 24%—its lowest support since 2021.
The Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens are tied at 13%, while the Left party holds 11%, with all other parties in single digits. About a quarter of respondents said they would abstain or are undecided, a sharp increase from the last election.
As the coalition approaches its 100-day mark, Chancellor Merz’s approval rating has dropped to 29%, while disapproval has risen to 67%, with the strongest criticism coming from eastern Germany and supporters of the AfD, Left, and Green parties.
Merz’s firm stance on Russia, including a €5 billion ($5.6 billion) pledge in additional military aid to Ukraine, has sparked domestic criticism amid Germany’s deteriorating economic outlook. The poll indicates 62% of Germans expect the economy to worsen this year, while only 14% anticipate improvement, and half of respondents trust no party to manage the country’s challenges.
Founded in 2013, the AfD has steadily gained support amid ongoing migration concerns and came second in February’s federal election with 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag. The party has recently softened its rhetoric to appeal to centrist voters ahead of next year’s regional elections.
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