Merz’s first year: Germany’s impulsive chancellor sees poll ratings slump to record low
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has received a record-low 15% positive opinion rating from Germans one year into his term. Merz attributed the low ratings to voters' 'instant gratification' expectations and resistance to change.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has marked his one-year anniversary in office with a record-low 15% positive opinion rating. Voters' dissatisfaction is attributed solely to Merz, not the Berlin coalition of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD). Merz suggested that Germans' 'prosperity illusion will not hold' and that they must adapt to a 'profound upheaval'. Germany's economy has stagnated since the pandemic, and the Iran war has hindered recovery hopes. Merz's government has faced criticism for public squabbles among ministers and U-turns on campaign promises. CDU allies have conceded that Merz's impulsive nature is a problem, and critics argue that he struggles to secure and communicate political compromise.
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