A new poll published by INSA for the German newspaper BILD has brought a shock to the German political scene. For the first time, the far-right AfD party has come out on top, leaving behind the conservative CDU/CSU (Union) coalition.
According to the results, the AfD ranks with 26% of support, up one point from last week, marking the highest level in the INSA polls. Meanwhile, the Union falls to 25%, losing the top spot traditionally held by the CDU/CSU or SPD.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) rises slightly to 15%, while the Greens suffer a sharp decline, falling to just 11% – an unexpected tie with the Left Party, which holds the same percentage.
The poll also shows that the current government would not have a majority if the election were held today. A possible Union-SPD coalition would only reach 40%, while a combination with the Greens would only reach 37%, both far from the necessary majority. In contrast, a Union-AfD alliance would secure 51% of the vote, with the AfD as the dominant partner.
Meanwhile, the popularity of the leader of the Union, Friedrich Merz, has fallen significantly: only one in four Germans express satisfaction with his leadership, while two-thirds express dissatisfaction.
The latest results signal a major shift in the balance of political forces in Germany, confirming the significant rise of the AfD and the further decline of the Greens.
