Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Unpopularity in Germany
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has become the least popular leader in modern German history, as the country grapples with a faltering economy and ongoing immigration discussions.
According to a recent poll by Forsa’s RTL/NTV trend barometer, a staggering 85 percent of Germans disapprove of Merz’s performance, marking him as the most unpopular chancellor since this polling began.
In comparison, his predecessor, Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party, had a disapproval rating of 76 percent before voters ultimately turned against his party in last year’s elections.
Furthermore, Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is struggling in the polls, falling behind the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), which currently sits at 28%. The CDU/CSU follows with 21%, while the Green Party claims 16%, and both the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Left Party are at 12%.
What’s perhaps more concerning is that only 12 percent of voters feel the current political system effectively tackles the important issues they face.
This disillusionment with the political climate can likely be traced back to last year’s elections, which yielded minimal change. Even though voters rejected the former ruling party, Merz chose to ally with the Social Democratic Party to counteract the AfD’s rising influence.
Meanwhile, despite all this political maneuvering, the government has not adequately addressed the primary concerns of most citizens: the economy and immigration.
Germany, once the economic leader of Europe, is now facing challenges, particularly in manufacturing. This decline has arisen due to increasing energy costs, tough competition from China, and tariffs imposed during the Trump administration.
The energy crisis escalated following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, disrupting Germany’s reliance on affordable Russian gas and oil. However, the roots of this crisis extend back before the invasion, as President Trump had cautioned Germany about depending on adversaries for energy, while promoting a shift towards inefficient green energy policies in the U.S.
The situation worsens with the coinciding effects of Russia’s energy cuts and the phasing out of nuclear energy initiated by former Chancellor Angela Merkel after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011.
These combined factors have led to rising energy costs in Germany, severely impacting the competitiveness of its industrial sector, particularly the automotive industry, which is also facing fierce competition from subsidized electric vehicle imports from China.
On top of these issues, the long-term implications of immigration are still a hot topic in Germany. Recently, a tragic incident occurred when Abdul Barout, a 21-year-old of Lebanese descent born in Germany, used a van in a terrorist attack at a Berlin LGBT Pride parade, resulting in the death of his 65-year-old Polish mother and injuries to 31 others.
Such vehicle attacks have unfortunately become more common in Germany amidst mass immigration trends over the past decade, with various similar events reported at Christmas markets.
