Chancellor Friedrich Merz Sees Modest Approval Gains Amid Government Satisfaction Rise

New polling data shows a slight improvement in public sentiment towards Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the German government. According to the latest Sonntagstrend poll, 28% of respondents expressed satisfaction with Merz's performance, an increase of four percentage points from previous figures. Dissatisfaction with Merz dropped by five points to 62%. Additionally, 25% of Germans reported being satisfied with the overall government's performance, marking a three-point rise, while those dissatisfied fell by five points to 66%.

The polling reflects a nuanced shift towards more positive assessments but highlights that a majority remain dissatisfied. Hermann Binkert, head of the polling institute Insa, noted that despite the majority’s discontent with both Merz and the government, the number of dissatisfied citizens has declined.

In party support, the anti-immigration AfD maintains its lead with 26% of the vote, just ahead of the CDU/CSU bloc at 25%. The SPD experienced a slight uptick to 15%, while the Greens and the Left Party saw declines to 11% and 10%, respectively. Notably, 13% of respondents indicated support for smaller parties that currently fall below the 5% parliamentary threshold.

Among Union voters, approval of Merz saw a more pronounced increase, surging eight percentage points from 63% to 71%, signifying consolidation in his core base.

This incremental rise in approval ratings for Chancellor Merz and the government comes amid challenging political conditions and continues to reflect a cautious optimism among voters.