‘Stuck in the mud’: one year on, Friedrich Merz struggles to find his footing
Just 19% of Germans approve of the chancellor’s leadership – with some of his comments causing offence amid spats with the White House
TL;DR
- Friedrich Merz has struggled to find his footing one year into his chancellorship, with support at historic lows.
- His coalition government has been marred by crises, gaffes, and mistrust since he took office.
- A recent survey shows Merz with the second-lowest approval rating among 24 world leaders.
- Senior aides argue Merz's unpopularity is unfair given the challenges, blaming negative media coverage.
- Critics cite persistent rivalries, government tensions, and Merz's erratic communication style as undermining purpose.
- Merz has caused anxiety with comments on issues like immigration and pensions, diverging from his predecessors.
- His critique of the US-led war in Iran led to a spat with the White House and potential US troop drawdown and trade penalties.
- Voters have dwindling faith in the coalition's ability to revive the economy or rescue key industries.
- Commentators compare the government's situation to a wayward whale, suggesting ineffective efforts to rescue a dying entity.
- Merz's lack of experience as a head of government is cited as a cause of key skill gaps.
- Despite setbacks, the ruling parties appear committed to sticking together to thwart the far-right Alternative für Deutschland.
- There is no viable alternative for Merz to form a majority government without the Social Democrats.