Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche of the CDU, has been facing sustained criticism regarding her political stance and leadership style for several months. A recent Forsa poll conducted for RTL and “Stern” reveals that the majority of German citizens disapprove of her performance. Specifically, 75 percent of respondents do not believe she is the right fit for the position, while only 15 percent are satisfied with her work. An additional 10 percent stated they were undecided.
Reiche’s influence is viewed negatively across Germany, with 77 percent disapproval noted among citizens from the East and 75 percent from the West. Even within her own political base, the former chairwoman of Westenergie AG is considered a misappointment by most. Sixty-six percent of CDU/CSU supporters do not trust the 53-year-old to successfully navigate Germany’s economic challenges. Among the SPD coalition partners, 70 percent are dissatisfied with her work.
The rejection rate is even higher among self-employed individuals, traditionally considered a core CDU demographic, where the disapproval stands at 82 percent. This level of rejection is marginally lower than that seen among supporters of the opposition parties Greens and Left Party, both of whom registered 85 percent disapproval. Among voters backing the AfD, 81 percent opposed Reiche.
Forsa gathered data from 1,008 Germans for this survey, which was conducted between June 11 and June 12, 2026.
