Germany: AfD benefits from discontent with Merz's government
Key takeaways
- Never before has a German government been this unpopular after only one year in office as that of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- Economic recovery was to be the top priority.
- After one year in office, the Chancellor has been forced to admit that a country like Germany cannot be steered in a new direction within just a few months.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Never before has a German government been this unpopular after only one year in office as that of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The far-right Af D is capitalizing on this.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DTj6Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (l) and Chancellor Friedrich Merz have little reason for optimism, which the Af D's Alice Weidel (r) stands to profit Image: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement Voters' expectations could not have been higher when Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his government coalition of center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) took office on May 6, 2025.
Economic recovery was to be the top priority. Within just a few months, citizens would feel that Germany was moving forward, the Chancellor promised in his first policy statement, while also holding out the prospect of major reforms to be made in the autumn of that year.