AfD now Germany’s most popular party – poll

Alternative for Germany has taken the lead in national polling as support for Chancellor Merz’s ruling coalition hits a record low.

The right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has overtaken Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc to become the country’s most popular party, a new survey shows.

According to the RTL/ntv ‘Trendbarometer’ poll released on Tuesday, the AfD is at a record 26%, one point ahead of the ruling coalition’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), which have fallen to 24% – their lowest level since 2021.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is at 13%, the same as the Greens, while the Left party sits at 11%, with all other parties in single digits. A quarter of respondents said they would abstain or remain undecided – far more than in the last election.

With the coalition nearing its 100-day mark this Wednesday, approval for Merz has sunk to 29%, the lowest since his election in May, while discontent has climbed to 67%. Criticism is sharpest in eastern Germany and among AfD, Left, and Green supporters, fueling doubts about the government’s staying power.

Since taking office, Merz has adopted a hardline stance towards Russia, recently pledging an additional €5 billion ($5.6 billion) in military aid to Ukraine. Berlin is one of Kiev’s largest backers, and last month Merz declared that diplomatic options in the conflict were “exhausted,” drawing accusations from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of choosing escalation over diplomacy. The commitment of fresh funds to Kiev has sparked criticism at home, coming amid Germany’s worsening economic outlook.

The poll found 62% expect the economy to deteriorate this year – the most pessimistic reading so far – while only 14% foresee improvement. Half of the respondents trust no party to handle the country’s problems.

Founded in 2013, the AfD has steadily gained ground amid a continuing migrant crisis in Germany. It came in second in February’s federal election with 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag, and has since moderated its rhetoric in a bid to attract centrist voters ahead of next year’s regional polls.