A recent survey indicates a significant level of public skepticism regarding the future cohesion and effectiveness of Germany’s governing coalition The poll, conducted by Forsa for RTL and ntv on August 29th and September 1st, 2025, with a representative sample of 1,006 respondents, reveals that only 23 percent of Germans anticipate a renewed sense of unity between the CDU/CSU and SPD after the summer recess
The vast majority – 75 percent – expect ongoing disagreements to persist While supporters of the CDU and CSU are slightly more optimistic, with 42 percent believing in a potential “fresh start” even within this group a majority (57 percent) do not foresee a significant improvement in the coalition’s dynamic Support for a renewed phase is notably lower among the bases of other parties, with 68 percent of SPD supporters, 70 percent of Green party members, 86 percent of Left party voters and a substantial 94 percent of AfD supporters expressing pessimism
Looking at the broader national outlook, almost three-quarters of respondents (74 percent) do not anticipate any positive change by the end of the governing period Specifically, 36 percent foresee no change, while 38 percent expect the situation in Germany to worsen Only 25 percent believe conditions will improve
A narrow majority of CDU/CSU supporters (52 percent) express optimism regarding a positive trajectory, although this expectation is considerably lower among SPD supporters, with only 30 percent anticipating improvements Concerns about potential deterioration are most pronounced among citizens in eastern Germany (48 percent), Left party voters (52 percent) and, overwhelmingly, AfD supporters (83 percent)
The survey also indicates persistent, albeit stable, anxieties regarding job security Sixteen percent of employed individuals currently express concerns about their jobs – a figure consistent with levels recorded at the end of the previous year Self-employed individuals demonstrate a disproportionately higher level of concern, with 26 percent voicing apprehension about their job prospects