German far-right AfD leads latest poll as Merz ratings slip

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has widened its lead over Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc to seven percentage points, according to an opinion poll released Tuesday.

The survey, conducted by the INSA polling institute, put support for the anti-immigration AfD at 29%.

Meanwhile, Merz’s Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), fell to 22%-a drop of nearly seven points since the country’s February 2025 election.

The poll came amid slipping approval ratings for Merz and infighting within his coalition over spending priorities and long-promised reforms, ranging from military service to pensions, taxes and health care, as well as possible cuts to social programs.

Support for Merz’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), remained largely unchanged at 12.5%.

Among opposition parties in parliament, the Greens drew 14%, while the Left Party stood at 10.5%.

The survey also pointed to a sharp personal decline for the chancellor, highlighting voter unease with his leadership. In INSA’s popularity ranking of Germany’s 20 most prominent politicians, Merz placed last, scoring 2.7 out of 10.

In contrast, Social Democrat Defense Minister Boris Pistorius topped the list. He was followed by Baden-Wuerttemberg’s new premier, Cem Ozdemir of the Greens, and North Rhine-Westphalia’s conservative premier, Hendrik Wust.

The survey also highlighted a significant rise in support for AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, who climbed to fourth place from eighth a week earlier, benefiting from the government’s declining momentum.

ANEWS wp:paragraph