According to a recent poll conducted by the research institute “Infratest” for the “Deutschlandtrend” CDU leader Friedrich Merz has reached the lowest satisfaction rating ever measured for a German federal chancellor in this survey. While satisfaction with Merz stood at 39 percent just one month after taking office in June 2025, the current figures, taken from 1,303 voters between Monday and Wednesday, show that only 16 percent are satisfied with his political work-a drop of five points since April 2026. Conversely, 83 percent are dissatisfied. This low point is notable when comparing it to the reading for former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose lowest rating was 18 percent back in September 2024.
Further details from the poll show that only 25 percent of Germans currently believe that Friedrich Merz is up to the task of being Chancellor, with 69 percent disagreeing. This marks a significant dip from August 2025, when 42 percent felt he was fit for the role. When asked if he could guide the country through a crisis, only 18 percent agreed, a sharp decline of 11 points from August 2025, while 75 percent disagreed. Similarly, for those who find him convincing in his communication, the rate stands at 14 percent-down 20 points since August 2025-with 82 percent of voters expressing disagreement.
The poll results also provide a critical look at the governing coalition as a whole. The majority of Germans are dissatisfied with how the coalition parties interact, with 84 percent reporting displeasure with their conduct. This negative sentiment also extends to the coalition’s public messaging; nearly nine out of ten voters (87 percent) are currently unhappy with how the government communicates and explains its policies to the public.
Regarding the future direction of the government, 44 percent of respondents believe the coalition of the CDU and the SPD should continue working until the end of the parliamentary term, while fifty percent hold a different view. Despite the general skepticism, a clear majority of voters within the separate parties remain committed to the current arrangement, with 80 percent of CDU supporters and 77 percent of SPD supporters preferring to maintain the existing coalition.