Incoming German chancellor Merz, soon to be Europe’s most powerful leader, limps to start line

MODERN politics can be brutally unforgiving for incumbent politicians. Yet, for incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who may soon become Europe’s most powerful politician, his popularity is plummeting even before he assumes office on May 6.

Following the announcement of an almost 150-page coalition deal by Merz’s right-of-centre Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc and left-of-centre Social Democrats (SPD) on Apr 9, a number of polls have been released which point to the big challenges he will face in power.

An Ipsos poll showed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with its first ever national polling lead. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel jubilantly commented that “for the first time in the still-young history of the AfD, we are the strongest force in Germany. Thank you for your tremendous trust – the political change will come!”