CDU/CSU falters as AfD rises: Polling shifts ahead of vote
Two days before the Bundestag elections, the CDU/CSU Christian Democrats are losing support, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is gaining popularity, according to a Politbarometer Extra poll for ZDF.
Two days before the German parliamentary elections, the CDU/CSU Christian Democrats are seeing their support drop below 30%. According to the Politbarometer Extra poll for ZDF, the Christian Democratic party bloc can expect 28% of the votes, which is a 2 percentage point decrease compared to the previous week. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) gains 1 percentage point, reaching 21%.
AfD gaining popularity: Poll results two days before the elections
The Social Democratic SPD is maintaining its support at 16%, and the Green Party is at 14%. Both groups did not see changes compared to previous results. The Left gained 1 percentage point, reaching 8% support.
The liberal FDP and the radically left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance both fell below the electoral threshold, each with 4.5%, marking a 0.5 percentage point increase compared to last week.
German media emphasize that the only viable two-party coalition seems to be an alliance between the CDU/CSU and SPD, as the Christian Democrats and Greens would not achieve a majority in the Bundestag. An alternative could be a coalition of CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens. Other configurations are unlikely, as the Christian Democrats exclude cooperation with the Left, and all moderate parties reject the possibility of a coalition with the AfD.
Voter preferences for chancellor
Regarding preferences for the next chancellor, 32% of respondents indicated Friedrich Merz from the CDU/CSU, which is a decrease of 1 percentage point. Robert Habeck from the Greens obtained 21% (-3 percentage points), Olaf Scholz from the SPD 18% (+1 percentage point), and Alice Weidel from the AfD 14%. Fifteen percent of respondents did not indicate any candidate, which is a 3 percentage point increase.
In the previous parliamentary elections in 2021, the SPD obtained 25.7%, CDU/CSU 24.2%, Greens 14.7%, FDP 11.4%, AfD 10.4%, the Left 4.9%, and other parties combined 8.7%. The upcoming Bundestag elections will take place on Sunday.
