The German Chancellor’s poll numbers are at their lowest point.Image: keystone
analysis
Friedrich Merz’s poll numbers are in the basement. The German chancellor is historically unpopular, and the governing coalition is also losing support. There are several reasons for this.
May 18, 2026, 6:05 p.mMay 18, 2026, 6:05 p.m
After the end of the traffic light government, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office with great expectations. He promised to stimulate the economy, place greater restrictions on migration and lead Germany out of political chaos with a pragmatic, calm style of government. The Germans are even more disappointed by the lack of visible results so far. Instead of stability and change, the image of his government is increasingly dominated by strife and uncertainty.
These are the current survey results
Friedrich Merz is currently more unpopular than any previous predecessor – including Scholz and the traffic light government. After twelve months in office, only 16 percent of those surveyed are satisfied or very satisfied with the German Chancellor’s work, shows Germany trend by Infratest Dimap on May 7th. Shortly after the start of his term in June 2025, it was 39 percent. He started with comparatively weak values, but continued to lose support.
The AfD has now overtaken Friedrich Merz’s party in the polls. At the beginning of May, the Alternative for Germany received more support than any other party in the Deutschlandtrend for the first time. It reached a high of 29 percent, while the CDU fell back to 22 percent.
The AfD continues to make gains in the polls with Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla at the top.Image: keystone
The poor poll numbers apply not only to Friedrich Merz, but also to the black-red coalition. After a year, it is more unpopular than any other federal government at the same time since the German trend began in 1997. One in two people is of the opinion that the grand coalition should not continue to work until the end of the legislative period.
According to a current Insa survey commissioned by Picture on Sunday 84 percent of those surveyed are worried about the situation in Germany. If the federal government’s currently planned reform projects for taxes and social benefits fail, 67 percent are in favor of replacing Friedrich Merz as Chancellor.
That’s why Merz is so unpopular
The respondents’ doubts lie primarily in whether the government can solve key problems. While trust in its migration policy remains comparatively stable, the government has lost even more trust in its economic and social policy.
The ongoing public dispute between the CDU and SPD in the coalition does not help. Jens Spahn, parliamentary group leader of the Union, recently admitted: “Many of our successes have been lost in too much public dispute and bickering.” And Friedrich Merz also admits that although disputes are part of a democracy, they must also lead to results. He said that on Friday at the Catholic Day in Würzburg. «Perhaps we argue too much at the moment and produce too few results. That may be the case.”
The German Chancellor was self-critical at the Catholic Day in Würzburg.Image: keystone
According to Deutschlandtrend, 87 percent of those surveyed are dissatisfied with how the government explains and communicates its policies to citizens. 82 percent are of the opinion that Merz does not communicate convincingly.
Ippen.Media editor-in-chief Markus Knall explains WorldTV after the disastrous survey results, that Friedrich Merz can “analyze brilliantly and identify problems” but does not hear “people’s pain”. Proximity to citizens is essential for a politician. “He hasn’t yet switched to the chancellor, who is there for all Germans, who can hug people, who can also listen to people.”
Bang performs:
“We need a chancellor who wants to initiate and implement the biggest reforms in decades. He doesn’t just say: ‘That’s the problem and you all have to do it now.’ We need communication that says: ‘If you make an effort today, then something will be better tomorrow.’ He doesn’t convey this vision yet.”
Merz is now self-critical on this point too. On Catholic Day, after activists booed him, he said that he was very concerned about the fact that he was apparently unable to reach people in the country sufficiently. “I know that I have to improve something in my communication so that this message is better understood,” admitted Merz.
Climate activists boo Friedrich Merz on Catholic Day.Image: keystone
Governments are also counted in other countries
Merz is far from the only unpopular head of government these days. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is currently fighting for his office in London and is more unpopular than Liz Trusswho only served as prime minister for 45 days. The French president is the same way Emmanuel Macron more unpopular than François Hollande at its political nadir.
Starmer and Macron share Merz’s suffering.Image: keystone
The Time explains the reasons for the current unpopularity of the heads of government in a column as follows:
«Are the impulsive Merz, the dull Starmer, the charismatic Macron three who just can’t do it? What is crucial is something else that everyone actually knows: the political center has been getting weaker for years, governing is becoming more difficult, the edges are getting stronger, in Germany, in Great Britain, in France, in all corners of Europe. Reform UK and the Rassemblement National are preparing to win elections like the AfD here.”
Not only the success of right-wing parties, but also current geopolitical challenges will make governing in 2026 significantly more difficult than it was a few years ago. Putin is threatening Europe, while the US under Donald Trump is questioning its security guarantees and imposing new trade tariffs. At the same time, China is increasing competition for European industries, and the conflict with Iran has led to tense energy markets.
These developments cannot be ignored. But it is precisely in such a situation that it is important that political leaders not only react, but also offer orientation, set priorities and remain able to act even under pressure. It is now all the more important to have a government leadership that can lead Germany safely through the current crises and act prudently.