German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing historically low approval ratings, according to a new national poll, highlighting mounting public dissatisfaction with his leadership one year into his term.
A Deutschlandtrend survey conducted by Infratest Dimap for Germany’s ARD public broadcaster found that only 16% of respondents approve of Merz’s performance as chancellor, Bloomberg shares.
The result marks the lowest approval rating recorded for any sitting German leader since the polling series began in 1997, and represents a five-percentage-point drop compared to April.
The poll also shows widespread public discontent, with 83% of respondents saying they are dissatisfied with his performance. In addition, 69% of those surveyed believe Merz is not fulfilling his duties as chancellor, while only 25% expressed the opposite view. Just 14% of respondents described his communication style as convincing.
The survey was conducted between May 4 and May 6, involving 1,303 German citizens aged 18 and older through telephone and online interviews.
For comparison, former Chancellor Olaf Scholz also faced low approval ratings during his tenure, with his lowest recorded level standing at 18% in September 2024.
By Sabina Mammadli
