10%: Merz Sets Record Low as Germany's Most Unpopular Chancellor
October 2, 2026 · Frisian News
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Only 10% of Germans say they are satisfied with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the lowest approval rating recorded for any sitting chancellor since the ARD Deutschlandtrend began in 1997. The CDU/CSU now polls seven points below the AfD in the same survey.
Ten percent. That is how many Germans told the ARD Deutschlandtrend they are satisfied or very satisfied with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the lowest approval figure recorded for any sitting German chancellor since the survey series began in 1997, as the WDR reported.
Infratest dimap conducted the poll between 28 and 30 September, surveying 1,303 eligible voters aged 18 and over by telephone and online. The survey is representative, with a statistical margin of error of around two percentage points at the 10% level, as Berliner-Zeitung noted. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they are less satisfied or not at all satisfied with the chancellor. As recently as early September, the same series placed Merz at 13%.
The chancellor does not carry this collapse alone. The ARD Deutschlandtrend also records 10% satisfaction with the federal government as a whole, the CDU/CSU and SPD coalition. Eighty-nine percent rate the government's performance negatively. ARD describes both readings as historic lows in the series.
The gap between Merz and his own cabinet ministers is wide. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, an SPD politician, scores 50% satisfaction in the same Infratest dimap poll. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of the CDU reaches 34%, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU 27%. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil stands at 20% and Labour Minister Bärbel Bas at 17%. The chancellor, at 10%, trails every named member of his own government.
The voting intention figures compound the difficulty. If a Bundestag election were held this Sunday, CDU and CSU would take 20% combined, one point lower than early September. Berliner-Zeitung notes the Union has reached that level only once before in the ARD Deutschlandtrend, in September 2021. The AfD sits at 27%, unchanged. The Greens score 16%, the SPD 13%, and the Linke 11%. The FDP, at 4%, stays below the five-percent parliamentary threshold.
The same poll also covered the cost of living. Seventy-seven percent of respondents told Infratest dimap they feel increasing financial burdens even though the government promised relief. Around one in two said they worry about maintaining their current standard of living. Only 17% trust the government to make social insurance systems financially viable for the future. On energy prices, 74% consider the government's measures insufficient, Berliner-Zeitung reported.
The CDU/CSU governs alongside the SPD, holding the chancellorship and several senior ministries. The Deutschlandtrend now shows those governing parties polling seven points below the AfD, a chancellor who cannot persuade nine in ten citizens he is doing his job, and a public that has stopped believing the government's promises on costs and welfare.
FryskTsien persint. Dat is it oantal Dútsers dat by de ARD Deutschlandtrend oanjûn hat tefreden of tige tefreden te wêzen mei kânselier Friedrich Merz, de leechste goedkarringsgraad ea registrearre foar in sittende Dútske kânselier sûnt de peilingsrige yn 1997 begûn, sa't de WDR melde.
Infratest dimap fiert de peiling út tusken 28 en 30 septimber, mei in ûnderfraach ûnder 1.303 kiezers fan 18 jier en âlder, telefoanysk en online. De peiling is representatyf, mei in statistyske flatersmarge fan om en by twa persinten op it 10%-nivo, sa't de Berliner-Zeitung neamde. Achtentachtich persint fan de respondinten sei minder tefreden of hielendal net tefreden te wêzen mei de kânselier. Sa koartlyn as begjin septimber sette dyselde rige Merz op 13%.
De kânselier draacht dizze ynstjorting net allinnich. De ARD Deutschlandtrend registrearret ek 10% tefredenheid mei de federale regearing as gehiel, de koälysje fan CDU/CSU en SPD. Njoggenenachtich persint beoardielet de prestaasjes fan de regearing negatyf. ARD omskriuwt beide sifers as histoaryske leechpunten yn de rige.
De kleau tusken Merz en syn eigen kabinetsleden is grut. Minister fan Definsje Boris Pistorius, in SPD-politikus, skoart 50% tefredenheid yn dyselde Infratest dimap-enkête. Minister fan Bûtenlânske Saken Johann Wadephul fan de CDU berikt 34%, en Minister fan Binnenlânske Saken Alexander Dobrindt fan de CSU 27%. Minister fan Finânsjes Lars Klingbeil stiet op 20% en Minister fan Arbeid Bärbel Bas op 17%. De kânselier, op 10%, bliuwt efter by elk neamd lid fan syn eigen regearing.
De ferkiezingssifers meitsje de situaasje noch dreger. As dizze snein in ferkiezing foar de Bundestag hâlden wurde soe, soene CDU en CSU tegearre 20% helje, ien punt leger as begjin septimber. De Berliner-Zeitung neamt dat de Uny dat nivo mar ien kear earder berikt hat yn de ARD Deutschlandtrend, yn septimber 2021. De AfD stiet op 27%, ûnferoare. De Grienen skoarje 16%, de SPD 13%, en de Linke 11%. De FDP, op 4%, bliuwt ûnder de parlemintsdrompel fan fiif persint.
Dyselde enkête gong ek oer de libbenskosten. Sânensantich persint fan de respondinten fertelde Infratest dimap dat se tanimmende finansjele lêsten fiele, al hat de regearing finansjele ferlichting tasein. Om en by ien op de twa sei soargen te hawwen oer it behâlden fan har hjoeddeistige libbensnivo. Mar 17% fertrout de regearing om sosjale fersekeringsstelsels finansjeel hâldber te meitsjen foar de takomst. Oangeande de energiepriizen fine 74% de maatregels fan de regearing ûnfoldwaande, sa't de Berliner-Zeitung rapportearre.
De CDU/CSU regearret neist de SPD, mei it kânselersskip en ferskate wichtige ministearjes. De Deutschlandtrend toant no dat dy regearringspartijen sân punten ûnder de AfD peile, dat de kânselier njoggen fan de tsien boargers net oertsjûgje kin dat er syn wurk docht, en dat in publyk ophâlden is de beloften fan de regearing oer kosten en wolfeart te leauwen.
Published October 2, 2026 · Frisian News