ZDF poll: 64 percent reject AfD state premier in the East

The AfD is running in several eastern German states with chances of participating in government. In Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, state elections are coming up in the coming years, with polls placing the party within reach of the strongest force. Observers see the nationwide rejection of 64 percent as an indication that many voters are skeptical of an AfD takeover of government.

The skepticism toward an AfD-led state government is an expression of a broader political debate. Critics see the party as a threat to the democratic order, while the AfD itself classifies a change of power as the result of the will of the voters. The discrepancy between possible poll figures in eastern Germany and the nationwide mood is considered remarkable.

CDU and Merz on the rise

In the current nationwide mood picture by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, the CDU under its federal chairman Friedrich Merz continues to perform best. The Christian Democrats are clearly ahead of the SPD and Greens in polls on political competence. Merz is perceived by the public as the most competent problem-solver, underscoring the Union's role as the AfD's likely main opponent in eastern Germany.

For the SPD and the Left, the data show challenges of their own. Both parties are struggling with low approval ratings in eastern Germany and have difficulty mobilizing their former core voters. The Left is represented in several eastern German state parliaments but plays only a minor role in nationwide comparisons.

Challenges for the SPD and the Left

The results come in a phase in which the political dispute over the right way to deal with the AfD is sharpening. While parts of the CDU and other parties pursue strict demarcation, others are discussing possible forms of cooperation at the municipal level. The ZDF poll now provides an up-to-date data basis for this debate.

Significance for the further debate

At the same time, election researchers point out that attitudes toward a possible AfD state premier do not necessarily have to match actual voting behavior. In eastern Germany, the AfD regularly performs better in state polls than in the federal trend, pointing to regionally different sentiments.

The ZDF "Politbarometer" is regularly conducted by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen and is considered one of the most important mood tests of the Republic. The latest data on the rejection of an AfD state premier are likely to play a role in the coming weeks both in the election campaigns in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and in federal politics.