The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, continue to hemorrhage support, according to the latest Forsa poll conducted for RTL and n-tv. The bloc has fallen another percentage point, now standing at 24 percent, further cementing a worrying trend of declining electoral appeal. This marks a stark contrast to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which maintains a firm lead at 26 percent, a significant margin indicating a potentially seismic shift in the German political landscape.
The poll reveals a consistent static performance amongst other major parties, with the Social Democrats (SPD) at 14 percent, the Greens at 12 percent, the Left at 11 percent, the BSW at 3 percent and the Free Democrats (FDP) also at 3 percent. An unchanged 26 percent of respondents remain undecided or plan not to vote, suggesting a significant opportunity remains for parties to mobilize this crucial demographic. Minor parties collectively garnered a slight increase, reaching 7 percent.
Critically, perceptions of political competence remain stubbornly low across the spectrum. The CDU/CSU maintains a narrow lead on this metric, with 15 percent identifying them as most capable, only two percentage points above the AfD at 13 percent. A resounding 54 percent of German citizens express a lack of confidence in any party’s ability to address the country’s pressing challenges, highlighting a pervasive sense of disillusionment among the electorate.
Furthermore, the poll paints a bleak picture of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s standing. With only 22 percent expressing satisfaction with his leadership, he has reached a historic low approval rating, even trailing behind the previous negative record held by Olaf Scholz (23 percent). This lack of broad-based support is largely confined to loyal CDU/CSU voters, with 61 percent expressing approval – demonstrating a significant disconnect with the wider electorate.
The consistently low approval and persistent electoral shortcomings facing the CDU/CSU raise serious questions about the party’s strategic direction and ability to regain public trust, particularly as the AfD’s momentum refuses to abate. The poll, based on a sample of 2,503 individuals, underscores a period of profound political uncertainty and potentially fundamental realignment within German politics.
