Germany's far-right AfD remains strongest force in new survey

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) remains the country's strongest party, according to a YouGov poll, after the far-right party secured a resounding win in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt earlier this month. 

The AfD scored 29% in the survey conducted from Friday to Monday, one percentage point more than in August.

The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), by contrast, have fallen to a historic low of 18%, down two percentage points.

The Greens are up one point to 16%. The Social Democrats, the junior partner in a coalition with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives, have also gained one point, reaching 13%. 

The Left, however, has lost two points, standing at 10% in September. The Free Democrats (FDP) remain at 5%, and the populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) rose to 4%.

Anti-AfD 'firewall' crumbling

At the same time, a majority of respondents still consider the AfD to be far right, according to YouGov: 59% expressed this view, while 30% disagreed. This figure has barely changed since May 2025.

The attitude towards the so-called firewall - a policy under which mainstream parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD - has shifted considerably, however, according to the poll. 

Of those surveyed, 51% now believe other parties should not categorically rule out cooperation with the AfD - up from 44% in August. 40% favour a categorical exclusion, compared with 46% the previous month.