A recent survey by the Insa opinion research institute shows the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has reached the same level of approval as the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) for the first time.
Both parties have an equal 24 percent of approval, marking a turning point in the political landscape and potentially complicating future government formations.
According to the Insa survey, the Union has lost six percentage points within a month. In comparison to the federal election in February, when the CDU and CSU still had 28.6 percent of the vote, this represents a significant decline.
“In a dramatic fall, the Union is experiencing a crash. This level of decline in approval has never been seen in the time between a federal election and government formation” said Insa’s chief, Hermann Binkert.
Meanwhile, the AfD has continued to gain in popularity, reaching its highest level in an Insa survey to date. Factors contributing to this growth could be a growing discontent with the political development and the ongoing loss of trust in established parties.
The current numbers illustrate that forming a stable government is becoming increasingly difficult. A coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD would currently only have 40 percent of the vote and would not be a majority. Additional partners would be needed to achieve a majority. The Greens and the Left, with around 11 percent each, could be potential coalition partners. However, a cooperation with the AfD is categorically ruled out by the Union.
The ARD Deutschlandtrend also shows a similar development, with the AfD continuing to gain and reaching 24 percent, while the Union falls to its lowest point since 2022, with 26 percent. The controversial financial policy of Friedrich Merz is being mentioned as a possible cause, which is met with resistance from within the Union’s own voter base.