Nearly two-thirds of Germans unhappy with Merz – poll

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s approval rating has fallen to a historic low, according to a new poll released on Sunday.
An INSA survey commissioned by the Bild newspaper found that 62% of respondents said they were unhappy with Merz’s performance, a three-point increase in a month, while 63% expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition of the center-right CDU and the Social Democrats. Only 26% of respondents approved of Merz’s performance, and just 23% backed his government.
A separate study by the insurance company R+V Versicherung, published last week, found that Germans are most concerned about the rising cost of living, the immigration and refugee crisis, as well as high taxes and potential welfare cuts, which Merz has insisted are necessary.
Merz, who took office in May, has also pledged to revive the stagnant economy, strengthen the military, help secure continued US support for Ukraine as well as significantly cut the German welfare state.
The right-wing, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has strongly criticized the government’s decision to allocate taxpayer money to Ukraine instead of addressing domestic needs. The AfD is currently the second-largest force in the Bundestag and is leading in national polls.