Far-right AfD tops German poll as coalition support drops

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the strongest party in Germany in a YouGov poll, gaining one percentage point to 27% compared with the previous month, reported dpa.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc fell three points to 23%, its lowest level in YouGov surveys since December 2021. The Social Democrats (SPD), Merz's coalition partner, dropped one point to 13%.

The Greens and The Left each rose by one point to 14% and 10% respectively. The Free Democrats (FDP) and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) were both at 4%, below the threshold to enter parliament.

YouGov surveyed 2,178 eligible voters between April 10-13, as the German government struggles to respond effectively to surging energy prices due to the war in Iran.

Dissatisfaction with the coalition government has risen, with 79% of respondents saying they were unhappy with its performance, compared with 55% in June 2025.

Among supporters of Merz's conservative bloc - made up of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - satisfaction fell to 34% in April from 48% in March.

Other recent polls have also put the AfD narrowly ahead. An INSA survey for the Sunday edition of the mass-circulation Bild newspaper showed the conservatives at 25% and the AfD at 26%, while an Infratest dimap poll had the CDU/CSU at 26% and the AfD at 25%.