Recent polling data suggests a divided public perception of German Bundestag President Julia Klöckner’s impartiality. A survey conducted by Forsa on behalf of Stern magazine and RTL Deutschland, between August 21st and 22nd, revealed that 45 percent of Germans believe Klöckner does not conduct herself in a non-partisan manner in her role. Conversely, 31 percent perceive her actions as impartial, with a further 24 percent remaining undecided.
The survey, based on responses from 1,001 individuals, follows recent scrutiny surrounding Klöckner’s associations with businessman Frank Gotthardt, who financially supports the online news portal “Nius”. Klöckner reportedly drew comparisons between “Nius” and the daily newspaper “taz” during a public address.
Support for Klöckner’s perceived impartiality is largely concentrated within her own party base. A majority (53 percent) of CDU/CSU supporters believe she fulfills her duties in a non-partisan fashion. However, voters aligned with other parties largely disagree. Amongst SPD voters, 46 percent view her performance critically. This criticism is more pronounced amongst AfD (57 percent), Green Party (61 percent) and particularly Left Party (64 percent) supporters.
The data was collected via telephone interviews and provides a snapshot of public opinion regarding the conduct of the Bundestag President.