German government's approval ratings slide to 11%, poll finds

The German government's approval rating slid to just 11% in a poll released, one day before Chancellor Friedrich Merz marks his first anniversary in office. 

The survey by the Forsa polling institute found only 11% of German voters reported being satisfied with the coalition's work, while 87% were dissatisfied. 

The approval ratings have plunged since July 2025, when the figure stood at 38%. 

Merz's coalition - consisting of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) - has been plagued by infighting and geopolitical tensions over the first 12 months of its term.

The situation has only worsened as the government struggled to respond to surging oil prices due to the war in Iran, while Merz's unguarded comments suggesting Tehran has "humiliated" the United States has reignited the trans-Atlantic spat with US President Donald Trump. 

With the coalition parties floundering in the polls, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surged into first place, registering a record five-point lead in some national surveys ahead of important state elections later this year. 

The Forsa poll found Merz's government deemed to be performing poorly in key policy areas such as inflation, infrastructure, the economy and social reforms, with between 80% and 90% of respondents dissatisfied.

The picture was slightly more encouraging on immigration policy, where 32% of voters were satisfied with the government's course. 

The institute surveyed a total of 1,002 eligible voters on April 30 and May 4.