INSA poll: low level of support for Friedrich Merz and Lars Klingbeil in Germany

Only 14% of Germans believe that Friedrich Merz is suitable for his position as Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, according to the results of a study by the INSA institute for the Bild newspaper.

“Only 14% of Germans, that is, approximately one in seven people, believe that Friedrich Merz is suitable for the post of chancellor. Already 78% are against the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union remaining in the chancellor’s chair,” the publication says.

The study showed that more and more supporters of the CDU/CSU bloc, which includes the Christian Democrats led by him, distrust Merz: 58% of voters in the bloc oppose the chancellor and only 36% are ready to support him.

The newspaper notes that Merz's popularity has been declining for more than a year. As opinion polls showed, in mid-2025 more than 30% of respondents were satisfied with his work, and in early September 2026 - only about 16%.

In addition, 51% of respondents voiced doubts that German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil is suitable for the role of chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), which, together with the CDU/CSU, is part of the ruling coalition in Germany. Only 24% of respondents supported Klingbeil. Among SPD supporters, 57% want Klingbeil to remain in his post, while 30% would prefer to see another politician take his place.

Another point of the survey, related to attitudes towards the opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD), showed that 46% of Germans support the abolition of the firewall towards the AfD, that is, a principle that implies a boycott of any party initiatives and the exclusion of any form of cooperation. In addition, 45% of respondents said they do not support a possible ban on the AfD.

The study was conducted from September 10 to 11 among 1,003 people. Statistical error is not provided.

Merz previously admitted the loss of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the parliamentary elections in the East German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The right-wing opposition party Alternative for Germany won there, receiving about 44% of the vote, while the CDU gained only about 17%. The CDU's result was the party's worst in the state since German reunification.