Quick Summary: Afd Surges to 29% as Merzs Approval Plummets in Germany
- Germany’s far-right AfD has surged to 29% in a new poll, widening its lead over Merz’s CDU/CSU, which is stuck at 20%.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a personal approval rating collapse to just 14%, intensifying pressure on his coalition.
- The AfD’s recent state-election success in Saxony-Anhalt saw them achieve nearly 44%, their best-ever regional result.
- SPD figures are considering softening unpopular coalition measures, potentially destabilizing the government further.
- Merz accuses the AfD of extreme policies, while the AfD criticizes the government on issues like migration and energy.
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Germany is witnessing a seismic political shift as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surges in popularity, leaving Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government grappling with declining approval ratings. The latest polls show the AfD climbing to 29%, a significant lead over Merz’s CDU/CSU, which remains stagnant at 20%.
This rise in support for the AfD follows their breakthrough performance in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, where they garnered nearly 44% of the vote. It was a historic achievement for the party, marking their strongest showing in any state to date. Meanwhile, Merz’s personal approval has plummeted to a mere 14%, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with his leadership.
The political landscape is further complicated by internal tensions within the governing coalition. SPD members are reportedly considering softening some of the coalition’s unpopular policies, a move that could destabilize the government. As the AfD continues to gain momentum, the taboo against cooperating with the far-right is being tested.
Merz has not shied away from confronting the AfD, accusing them of pursuing extreme policies. In response, AfD leaders have been vocal in their criticism of the government’s handling of migration, living costs, and energy policies. The political rhetoric is heating up, and the stakes are higher than ever.
As Germany approaches key elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the question remains: can the political establishment maintain its firewall against the AfD, or is the far-right poised to gain even more ground?
A Deutsche Welle report on September 13, citing an INSA survey for Bild, said 78% of respondents answered no when asked whether Friedrich Merz is still the right person for chancellor; only 14% said yes, and even among CDU/CSU voters only 36% backed him while 58% said no. The Guardian reported the AfD is polling at about 35% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while the SPD of state premier Manuela Schwesig has climbed back above 30%; in Berlin, the CDU is only narrowly ahead on about 20% with several parties tightly packed behind it.
In the newest INSA Sunday poll for Bild, published September 12, the AfD rose another point to 29%, with Merz’s CDU/CSU stuck at 20%, a nine-point gap. DW added that his numbers have been falling since the middle of last year and that support used to be above 30%.
” Meanwhile SPD figures, according to the Guardian, are signaling they may want to soften some of the coalition’s most unpopular measures, a dispute analysts say could further destabilize the government. Germany’s far-right AfD has widened its national lead just days after a breakthrough state-election win, while a fresh poll shows Chancellor Friedrich Merz collapsing to only 14% personal approval as pressure mounts on his coalition and on the taboo against any cooperation with the far right.
That came after the AfD’s “nearly 44%” result in Saxony-Anhalt, described by the Guardian as the party’s best-ever state showing and by AP as its biggest win yet in eastern Germany, even though it fell just short of an outright majority. The Guardian reported that in Saxony-Anhalt the AfD is “three votes short” of the support necessary to form a government under Ulrich Siegmund, meaning the pressure is now on whether dissidents from other parties might break ranks.
The sharpest new development is the combination of momentum and legitimacy the AfD has gained since its Saxony-Anhalt triumph on Sunday, September 6. ” In a separate clash highlighted by DW and Bild, Merz accused the AfD of pursuing “ethnic cleansing,” while AfD co-leader Alice Weidel and other party figures used parliament and the media to hammer the government over migration, living costs and Ukraine.
The AfD’s recent state-election success in Saxony-Anhalt saw them achieve nearly 44%, their best-ever regional result. The latest polls show the AfD climbing to 29%, a significant lead over Merz’s CDU/CSU, which remains stagnant at 20%.
Meanwhile, Merz’s personal approval has plummeted to a mere 14%, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with his leadership. In the newest INSA Sunday poll for Bild, published September 12, the AfD rose another point to 29%, with Merz’s CDU/CSU stuck at 20%, a nine-point gap.
The scale and speed of this development has caught many observers off guard. Each new update adds another dimension to a story that is still unfolding, and the full picture will only become clear as more verified details emerge from the people and institutions directly involved.
Analysts who have tracked this issue closely say the current moment represents a genuine turning point. The decisions made in the coming weeks are expected to set the direction for months ahead, with ripple effects likely to extend well beyond the immediate actors in the story.
For those directly affected, the practical impact is already visible. People navigating this fast-changing situation are dealing with real consequences while new information continues to reshape what is known and what remains open to interpretation.
Historical parallels offer some context, though experts caution against drawing too close a comparison. Similar situations have played out before, but the specific combination of pressures, personalities, and timing here makes this moment distinct in ways that matter for how it ultimately resolves.
The political and economic dimensions of this story are deeply intertwined. What appears as a single event on the surface is in practice the convergence of multiple pressures that have been building quietly over a longer period than most public reporting has captured.