According to a survey by the polling institute “Infratest” among 1,303 voters conducted this week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has recorded the lowest satisfaction rating ever measured for a German federal chancellor in the “Deutschlandtrend”. One year into his term, only 16 percent of respondents report being satisfied with his political work-a sharp drop of 5 points compared to April 2026. Conversely, 83 percent are dissatisfied. This figure is significantly lower than his previous rating of 39 percent just one month after assuming office in June 2025. For comparison, former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recorded his lowest rating of 18 percent in September 2024.
Regarding his suitability for the role, only 25 percent of Germans currently believe that Friedrich Merz is equipped for the office, while a majority of 69 percent disagree. This marks a decline from 42 percent in August 2025. Similarly, only 18 percent feel that he can guide the country successfully through a crisis, compared to 75 percent who are otherwise. Concerns about his communication skills are also pronounced, with only 14 percent finding him convincing, down from 20 points lower than in August 2025.
Public sentiment scrutinizing the ruling coalition remains highly critical. Eight out of ten Germans (84 percent) are dissatisfied with how the government parties interact. Moreover, nearly nine out of ten Germans (87 percent) are unhappy with how the government communicates and explains its policies to the public-a trend clearly influenced by the visible conduct of coalition members over recent weeks.
When considering the future, 44 percent of respondents believe the Union and SPD coalition should continue until the end of the legislative period, though the half-mark (49 percent) suggests a majority are opposed. Despite this, specific support bases remain strong: 80 percent of Union supporters and 77 percent of SPD supporters intend to maintain faith in the current coalition.
