In the latest ZDF “Political Barometer” survey, the AfD now ranks ahead of the CDU. If the federal election were to take place this Sunday, the AfD would maintain its standing at 26 percent. Meanwhile, the CDU/CSU is projected to lose one point, placing them at 25 percent, according to the poll released Friday morning. The Left Party is poised for a rebound, climbing back to eleven percent. The SPD and the Greens each lose one point, settling at twelve and fourteen percent respectively. The FDP gains three points, and all other parties combined account for nine percent.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and his cabinet are rated worse than ever by respondents. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters of those surveyed do not believe the current federal government will make a significant contribution to solving Germany’s problems. While opinions are divided regarding the fuel discount, about nine out of ten respondents feel that the oil companies are not passing the savings on to consumers. A narrow majority supports the crisis bonus of 1,000 euros, but overall, about 80 percent of Germans feel the federal government is not doing enough to address rising energy costs. Additionally, around three-quarters of respondents assess the cooperation within the federal government as “rather poor”. However, Merz’s refusal to participate in a war in Iran enjoys broad approval, with over 90 percent agreeing that Germany should not provide military support to the US in the conflict with Iran.