In recent polling data from the ZDF-“Politbarometer,” it has been revealed that the CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, has seen an increase in support, with the party now polling at over 30 percent. On the other hand, the AfD and the Greens have experienced a decline in support. The AfD, in particular, has seen a decrease in nationwide polls, although they remain stable at 30 percent in Thuringia. This comes amid a political scandal involving Björn Höcke and the Thuringian AfD, raising questions about the party’s future on the national political stage.
The CDU has seen a slight uptick in support, with the latest ZDF-“Politbarometer” showing the party polling at 31 percent if a federal election were to be held the following Sunday. This places the Union well ahead of other political parties in Germany. Despite a one percent drop, the AfD would come in second with 16 percent of the vote. This marks the lowest support for the party in the ZDF-“Politbarometer” in over a year, with the AfD polling at 22 percent at the beginning of the year. The SPD remains at 15 percent, the Greens have dropped two points to 13 percent, the FDP has increased to five percent, the BSW also holds at five percent, and the Left party remains at four percent, falling short of the five percent threshold for parliamentary representation.
Public perception of the current government remains negative, with 63 percent expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s performance. Only one-third of respondents feel that the government is doing a good job. Additionally, only 34 percent believe that a government led by the Union would perform better. However, CDU chief Friedrich Merz has seen an improvement in popularity following his reelection and ranks third in the politician ranking behind Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and CSU leader Markus Söder. Among Union supporters, Merz surpasses Söder and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst in terms of perceived suitability for chancellorship.
Regarding the European elections, the ZDF-“Politbarometer” indicates that if voting were to take place this Sunday, the Union would get 31 percent of the vote, while the Greens and AfD would both receive 15 percent. The SPD would come in at 14 percent, the FDP at four percent, and the Left at three percent. These figures are based on a survey conducted by the Mannheim Research Group Wahlen from May 14th to 16th, polling 1247 randomly selected eligible voters via phone and online. The margin of error for the results is approximately two to three percentage points.
In conclusion, the latest polling data from the ZDF-“Politbarometer” suggests a positive trend for the CDU and Friedrich Merz, with an increase in support for the party. The AfD and the Greens, on the other hand, have seen a decline in popularity. Public perception of the government remains negative, with few believing that a Union-led government would perform better. The upcoming European elections also show interesting dynamics in voter preferences, with the Union in the lead but facing competition from other parties. The political landscape in Germany continues to evolve as parties position themselves for future elections.
