The latest ZDF-“Politbarometer” shows that the Green party has made significant gains in popularity, increasing by three percentage points within two weeks despite dissatisfaction with the Ampel coalition. The survey also reveals that the FDP is largely blamed for the ongoing disputes in the government and the coalition’s poor performance. The AfD, on the other hand, has seen a slight decrease in support, dropping to its lowest rating in eleven months.
According to the survey, if federal elections were held on a Sunday, the Green party would receive 15% of the vote, putting them on par with the SPD. The CDU/CSU remains the strongest force with 30%, followed by the AfD at 17%. The FDP and Die Linke remain below the five percent threshold, while Sahra Wagenknecht’s alliance barely reaches it. Other parties collectively stand at ten percent.
Despite overall dissatisfaction with the Ampel coalition, the Green party’s gains were significant. The government’s performance continues to be negatively viewed by voters, with a negative average score of -1.0. The SPD, the Greens, and the FDP receive ratings of -0.5, -1.0, and -1.3 respectively. The FDP is primarily held responsible for the ongoing conflicts in the coalition, with 34% attributing most blame to them. Only 22% believe a coalition breakup is likely, while 14% think the FDP will unilaterally exit the coalition.
In terms of popularity among top politicians, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is the most favored, with a positive rating of 1.8. Markus Söder, Robert Habeck, and Annalena Baerbock follow closely behind with ratings of -0.1 and -0.4 respectively. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and CDU leader Friedrich Merz both have ratings of -0.6. The survey was conducted by the Mannheim Research Group from April 23-25, with 1228 randomly selected eligible voters participating. The margin of error is approximately two to three percentage points.
