The Social Democratic Party (SPD) continues its decline in public opinion, reaching its worst standing in years according to the Forsa polling institute. In the latest “Trendbarometer” covering the RTL and ntv channels, the SPD lost a single point, now registering 11 percent. This marks its lowest position since December 2019. In contrast, the Union has managed to climb back one point to 22 percent, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) maintains its position as the strongest political force with 27 percent. The figures for the other parties remained stable in comparison to the previous week: The Greens stood at 15 percent, The Left Party at 11 percent, the FDP at 5 percent, and the BSW at 3 percent.
The gaps between the parties become particularly evident when analyzing specific demographic groups. For individuals over 60, the Union holds around 31 percent; among pensioners, the Union commands about 32 percent; and among Catholics, they secure slightly over a third of the vote. The SPD trails significantly in these demographics. Meanwhile, the AfD performs notably well among key groups, including men (35 percent), employed individuals (32 percent), laborers (48 percent), the self-employed (41 percent), people with no religious affiliation (32 percent), and in rural areas (38 percent), often exceeding the party’s overall polling figure.
When asked about political competence, the Union and the AfD are currently tied. Both parties are believed to be best equipped to handle Germany’s problems by 13 percent of respondents, with the Union having a slight edge (+1 percentage point). The Greens followed with 8 percent, the SPD with 5 percent, and the Left Party with 4 percent (-1 percentage point). Regardless of party affiliation, however, over half of citizens (55 percent) do not trust any single party to adequately solve the country’s issues.
The SPD’s weakened standing is also reflected in the personal rating of its party leader. Lars Klingbeil’s scores in the Forsa politician ranking have steadily fallen since 2021. While his average approached 40 points at that time, in May 2026, he registered significantly fewer than 30 points, indicating a clear loss of public support.
Not only Klingbeil is facing negative trends; Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also struggling to improve his public image. Currently, only 14 percent of Germans are satisfied with his work, while 84 percent view him critically. This keeps the Chancellor only marginally above his all-time low approval rating.
Germans perceive the economic situation as poor, reflecting conditions similar to those during the COVID-19 period or the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Sixty-five percent fear a deterioration of the situation, and only a small minority of 13 percent anticipate an improvement. Analyzing the economic trend line, the cautious hope for improvement that appeared in early 2025 began to fade after summer 2025 and worsened again following the outbreak of the Iran war.
“Data Basis: 2,502 respondents. Period: June 2-8, 2026.”
