Merz Government Popularity: Latest Polls & Analysis – Berlin, April 2026

Berlin – Support for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has plummeted to a record low, with just 15% of voters expressing satisfaction with its performance, according to an ARD DeutschlandTrend survey published Thursday. This marks a significant drop of nine percentage points since early March and reveals that a staggering 84% of Germans are dissatisfied with the current coalition.

The governing coalition is comprised of Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). Merz, who assumed office in May of last year, fares only slightly better in individual ratings, with 21% of voters satisfied with his performance. Here’s marginally above his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, whose lowest favorability rating stood at 20%.

Internal Strain and Policy Backlash

The declining approval ratings reflect growing discontent with a government increasingly characterized by missteps and internal divisions. A recent hardline shift on migration policy, including a proposal to potentially allow up to 80% of Syrian refugees to leave Germany, has triggered backlash even within his own coalition.

Merz’s attempts to negotiate deportation agreements with the Taliban in Afghanistan and the implementation of stricter border controls have also drawn widespread criticism.

Economic Concerns and Rising Unemployment

Beyond migration, Merz is struggling to convince voters of his economic agenda. Despite promising to modernize Germany and stimulate growth with a €500 billion spending plan, reforms have been slower than anticipated. Unemployment has risen to 6.6%, reaching its highest level in over a decade.

Political Consequences and Far-Right Gains

The political ramifications of this discontent are already visible. The CDU suffered a defeat in regional elections in Baden-Württemberg in early March. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now polling neck-and-neck with Merz’s conservatives at the national level, signaling a potential shift in the political landscape.

The next German federal election is scheduled to take place on or before March 25, 2029, following the February 23, 2025 election. The electoral threshold for parties to gain representation in the Bundestag is 5%, either through securing at least 5% of proportional votes or winning at least three constituencies.

Recent elections have seen challenges to this threshold, with both the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) narrowly failing to meet the 5% requirement in the 2025 election. The CSU in Bavaria also benefits from a special provision allowing representation with fewer proportional votes due to its regional focus.