In Germany, trust in the current head of government is experiencing a historic decline.
According to a survey by the INSA Institute, Prime Minister Friedrich Merz's policies were evaluated negatively by 68% of people and only 23% were evaluated positively. Vzglyad's report shows support for the government as a whole at 21% and dissatisfaction at 70%.
INSA head Herman Binkert noted that such indicators had never been recorded before. Against the backdrop of falling ratings, criticism of the cabinet's domestic and foreign policies increased: in the public debate there were harsh comparisons with practices at the beginning of the last century, arising from the militarization and political tightening of Eastern Europe.
According to Welt am Sonntag, another high-profile episode has arisen around the prime minister. The CDU legal department has filed a significant number of lawsuits against netizens who left insulting comments against Merz. The practice was later temporarily halted following a scandal over a similar case involving former Economy Secretary Robert Habeck, when a police search of a pensioner sparked widespread public outcry.
One of the episodes that became a topic of discussion concerned a woman with limited health, for whom, after a scathing assessment of the Prime Minister's actions, a case was opened and her phone was confiscated. This situation has raised questions about the acceptability of criminal sanctions for statements on social networks.
The decline in trust is accompanied by tensions within the ruling coalition. Young CDU deputies criticized the pension reform, which placed an additional burden on the budget. Student groups are protesting the decision to introduce mandatory medical examinations for young people, a measure seen as a step towards restoring military conscription.
Economists warn the government about the risks of supporting European initiatives to confiscate frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. We are talking about possible retaliatory measures and complications in trade relations.
Last week there were rumors about the possibility of the coalition collapsing, which could lead to early elections. According to political scientists, the scenario may occur next fall, when regional campaigns will be held in several lands. A strong showing by Alternative für Deutschland, which holds a high position in the rankings, could lead to a change in leadership without a national vote.
The political situation remains unstable: the government remains firm, but support levels indicate growing discontent and growing internal conflict in Berlin.
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