Right-wing party Alternative for Germany becomes leading party
(MENAFN) The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surpassed Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative coalition to become the country’s most popular party, according to recent reports.
The RTL/ntv ‘Trendbarometer’ poll released Tuesday indicates that the AfD has reached a record 26%, edging out the ruling coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), which fell to 24%—their lowest level since 2021.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens each hold 13%, while the Left party registers 11%, and all other parties remain in the single digits. About a quarter of respondents said they would abstain or were undecided, significantly higher than in the previous election.
As the coalition approaches its 100-day mark on Wednesday, approval for Merz has dropped to 29%, the lowest since his May election, while disapproval has risen to 67%. Dissatisfaction is particularly high in eastern Germany and among supporters of the AfD, Left, and Green parties, raising questions about the government’s stability.
Since assuming office, Merz has taken a hardline approach toward Russia, recently pledging an additional €5 billion ($5.6 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine. Berlin remains one of Kiev’s major backers, and Merz’s declaration last month that diplomatic options in the conflict were “exhausted” drew accusations from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of favoring escalation over diplomacy. The new financial commitment has sparked domestic criticism amid Germany’s worsening economic outlook.
The poll also found that 62% of respondents expect the economy to decline this year—the most pessimistic reading yet—while only 14% anticipate improvement. Half of those surveyed expressed no confidence in any party’s ability to address the country’s challenges.
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