BERLIN

Support for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats fell to 24% in a new poll published Wednesday, marking further erosion in standing of the ruling coalition.

The Forsa survey, conducted for RTL and Ntv broadcasters, showed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at 26%, maintaining its position as the country's strongest party.

The co-ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) ranked third with 14%, gaining one point. The survey results indicate that if elections were held this Sunday, the Christian Democrats and SPD would not win enough votes to form a government.

The declining support comes as economic concerns dominate the political landscape. According to the poll, 60% of Germans now view the economy as the country's biggest problem—up six percentage points from early October and more than double the proportion who cite migration as their primary concern.

A majority of 68% do not believe the current government will succeed in improving business conditions and strengthening Germany's economic position. Only 17% of Germans think Merz's CDU/CSU alliance can solve the country's problems, while just 6% have confidence in the SPD's ability to address major issues.