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Germany’s AfD Surges to Record 28 Percent in Poll
(MENAFN) Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has surged to an unprecedented popularity high, claiming 28% of the vote in a fresh Bild/INSA poll released Saturday — enough to top a hypothetical federal election and outpace every rival party.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic bloc (CDU/CSU) trailed at 24%, slipping a further percentage point behind the AfD compared to previous surveys. The coalition's junior partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), held steady at 14%.
The poll, conducted April 20–24 among 1,203 respondents, asked participants how they would cast their ballot if a federal election were held that Sunday.
Complicating the arithmetic further, Bild noted that roughly 11% of votes would be absorbed by parties failing to clear the parliamentary entry threshold — meaning any governing majority would require at least 45% of the remaining vote share. Since mainstream parties have ruled out any alliance with the AfD, Merz's current coalition of CDU, CSU, and SPD would be forced to seek an additional partner to secure a functional Bundestag majority.
The numbers reflect a deepening erosion of public confidence in Merz's administration since it assumed office last May. Critics have pinned blame on the chancellor for failing to reverse Germany's prolonged economic slide — the country recorded a meager 0.3% expansion in 2025 following back-to-back recessions in 2023 and 2024.
Broader discontent is equally stark. A YouGov poll published last week found at least 79% of Germans dissatisfied with the ruling government's performance, with only 34% of CDU/CSU voters expressing approval of their own coalition as of mid-April.
Merz himself has fared no better personally. Last week, the US-based opinion research institute Morning Consult rated him Europe's most unpopular leader, with a 76% disapproval rating.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic bloc (CDU/CSU) trailed at 24%, slipping a further percentage point behind the AfD compared to previous surveys. The coalition's junior partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), held steady at 14%.
The poll, conducted April 20–24 among 1,203 respondents, asked participants how they would cast their ballot if a federal election were held that Sunday.
Complicating the arithmetic further, Bild noted that roughly 11% of votes would be absorbed by parties failing to clear the parliamentary entry threshold — meaning any governing majority would require at least 45% of the remaining vote share. Since mainstream parties have ruled out any alliance with the AfD, Merz's current coalition of CDU, CSU, and SPD would be forced to seek an additional partner to secure a functional Bundestag majority.
The numbers reflect a deepening erosion of public confidence in Merz's administration since it assumed office last May. Critics have pinned blame on the chancellor for failing to reverse Germany's prolonged economic slide — the country recorded a meager 0.3% expansion in 2025 following back-to-back recessions in 2023 and 2024.
Broader discontent is equally stark. A YouGov poll published last week found at least 79% of Germans dissatisfied with the ruling government's performance, with only 34% of CDU/CSU voters expressing approval of their own coalition as of mid-April.
Merz himself has fared no better personally. Last week, the US-based opinion research institute Morning Consult rated him Europe's most unpopular leader, with a 76% disapproval rating.
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