German public calls for Chancellor Merz's resignation as AfD overtakes CDU in polls

Following recent defeats in state elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, the AfD has moved ahead of the CDU in public opinion. A Forsa poll for N-TV/RTL records the AfD at 27% and the CDU at 20%, with the Greens at 17% and the SPD at 12%. An Insa poll for one outlet's shows the AfD at 29.5% and the CDU at 19.5%, while the SPD and Greens each hold around 13% and 12% respectively.

In the same survey, 55% of Germans say Chancellor Friedrich Merz should resign, compared with 40% who prefer he stay. Support for Merz's resignation is strongest among AfD voters (81%) and left-wing voters (65%), and even 21% of CDU supporters favor a change. The polls also suggest voters blame the CDU’s recent losses on the party’s inability to address everyday concerns, with 66% pointing to Merz himself and 64% citing broken campaign promises.