​​​​​​BERLIN

A new poll released Wednesday revealed a sharp rise in dissatisfaction with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's performance since he took office in May.

The survey, conducted by the Forsa research institute for RTL/NTV television, found 75% of respondents dissatisfied with Merz's work as chancellor, while 23% expressed approval.

The dissatisfaction was particularly pronounced in certain regions and groups. In eastern states, 78% expressed unhappiness with Merz's performance, while in Bavaria the figure hit 79%. Among self-employed individuals, dissatisfaction stood at 80%.

Political divisions were also evident in the results. Even among supporters of Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, 40% said they were dissatisfied with his work. Among coalition partner Social Democratic Party (SPD) supporters, the figure was 70%.

The poll revealed a dramatic shift in public opinion since mid-June. Satisfaction with Merz's work has dropped 20 percentage points to 23%, while dissatisfaction has surged 26 points from 49% to 75%.

The survey also tracked party support nine months after the general election in February. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD/party led with 26% support, edging the Christian Union parties, which stood at 25%.

Coalition partner Social Democrats registered 14% support in the poll, while the opposition Greens stood at 12% and the Left Party at 11%.

Forsa analysts said in their report that under Merz's leadership, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance is failing to halt the AfD's surge in popularity.

"This reflects the grave error made by Merz and his inner circle in prioritizing migration policy so heavily during the election campaign and their time in government," said experts. "Had they pursued a consistent economic policy that fostered greater public confidence in Germany's economic development, the AfD's vote share would not be as high as it is now."​​​​​​​