A recent survey indicates a significant decline in public trust towards Jens Spahn, the parliamentary group leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The Forsa Institute conducted the poll for “Der Stern” magazine and RTL Deutschland, revealing that 75% of Germans view Spahn as lacking or possessing no trustworthiness. Only 2% expressed strong trust in the politician, with an additional 18% finding him largely trustworthy. Five percent offered no comment.
The survey, based on responses collected via telephone interviews with 1,008 participants on July 10th and 11th, reveals a widespread erosion of confidence. The downturn in public perception follows recent criticism directed at Spahn regarding the costly procurement of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent accusations of responsibility for the recent coalition crisis surrounding the dismissal of judges from the Federal Constitutional Court.
The lack of trust is particularly pronounced among supporters of opposition parties. A substantial majority of supporters from The Left (89%), the Alternative for Germany (AfD) (86%), the Green Party (84%) and even the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the coalition partner (67%) express a lack of trust in Spahn.
Notably, the survey also highlights a concerning level of distrust within Spahn’s own party base. A significant 60% of CDU/CSU voters now express distrust, with a mere 4% reporting strong trust and only 33% largely trusting the parliamentary group leader. This represents a considerable shift in sentiment amongst the traditional CDU/CSU constituency.