This is how unpopular the chancellor is Conclusion after one year of Friedrich Merz: things could be better
His poll ratings are in the basement, his image is more than tarnished. Some even think that the first anniversary of his government could be the last. Can German Chancellor Friedrich Merz still get his act together?
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- A year ago, Friedrich Merz started out as German Chancellor with big words.
- But how many of his promises has he been able to keep? How well has the 70-year-old made the leap from the opposition bench to the long-awaited chancellorship?
- The conclusion after one year of the Merz government in Germany: things could be better.
Friedrich Merz can't get rid of the beer mat thing. It was in 2003 when the then CDU deputy parliamentary group leader declared that he wanted to make the tax system so simple that the tax return would fit on a beer mat. It was a typically pithy Merz statement and a symbol of clarity, determination and economic liberalism.
A good 20 years later, Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz is German Chancellor - and has now, on May 6, 2026, completed his first year in office. Instead of beer mat simplification, however, the reality of government prevails. And it is complicated, contradictory and full of conflict.
It's time for an initial assessment. After all, Merz, who is now 70 years old, took office with the claim of strengthening Germany economically, repositioning it politically and showing leadership. He wants to do politics for people who have "all the mugs in the cupboard", not "for some green and left-wing nutcases".
So what happened to Friedrich Merz's big election campaign promises? What has actually changed in Germany? And would the Germans vote for him again?
Has Friedrich Merz kept his (often pithy) promises?
To cut a long story short: No, not always.
For years, Merz had attacked the government from the opposition with clear, often exaggerated positions and accused it of running up debts. Shortly before his election, however, he provided the impetus for an amendment to the Basic Law that relaxed the debt brake for defense investments and initiated a 500 billion euro special fund. As a result, his credibility had already suffered before he moved into the Federal Chancellery.
What has Friedrich Merz achieved for Germany as Chancellor?
In total, the black-red federal government passed 175 laws and measures in the first twelve months. Some are aimed at concrete improvements for people looking for housing, consumers, motorists or other groups.
However, the list of major reforms has so far been manageable. Many of the central projects - pensions, taxes, care, health - have been announced but not implemented.
So far, the narrative of a new beginning remains one thing above all: a promise. Critics are already talking about a "mountain of disappointment" that is piling up in front of the chancellor. Or to put it another way: Merz has been caught up in the reality of government as chancellor.
In the meantime, an "immediate investment program" has been launched. "Everything that needs to be built and is planned can be built," says the government. Schools, bridges, roads and railways are being renovated. However, it is unclear to what extent these are actually additional investments that would not have been made in the normal course of events.
How confident is Friedrich Merz as head of government?
Not particularly. His coalition often comes across as an alliance under tension. Merz himself publicly complains that the CDU/CSU has not yet sufficiently left its mark on the government.
At the same time, internal conflicts are escalating. Reports of vociferous disputes - for example with Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil - reinforce the impression of a chancellor in permanent dispute mode. Merz, it seems, has repeated difficulties getting his people - and himself - under control. Some are already talking about the chancellor's lack of impulse control.
Merz is either in crisis mode, as with the failed election of a constitutional judge last summer, or he triggers debates through clumsy statements - such as those on the "cityscape" in connection with asylum issues - which he can barely contain.
Merz has recently been increasingly criticized by his own party: as unapproachable, resistant to consultation and strategically inept.
Where are the cracks in the political woodwork?
Everywhere. The starting position for the government was actually favorable. The CDU/CSU and SPD did not have to rely on the Greens to form a government, which could have made everything easier.
However, the government slipped into its first crisis before it was even sworn in: Friedrich Merz failed to be elected chancellor at the first attempt because people from his own ranks refused to vote for him. The fact that a chancellor was only elected in the second round of voting was a first in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In addition, the government initially had ten months without state elections ahead of it. The best conditions to be able to govern freely without the pressure of profiling. Actually.
What course is Merz pursuing in the economy - and who benefits?
Friedrich Merz's main goal is growth. He started out with the ambition to restructure Germany economically. But concrete, tangible decisions on direction have yet to be made. The economic forecast for this year has already had to be halved to just 0.5 percent.
Friedrich Merz has appointed Katherina Reiche, a former lobbyist and manager, as Economics Minister. The proximity to the economy is evident in politics. Above all, he has implemented relief for companies - for example, for electricity-intensive companies through a state-subsidized industrial electricity price.
How has Merz changed Germany's role in the world?
In terms of foreign policy, the picture is mixed. Friedrich Merz has clearly laid more claim to a German leadership role in Europe and the world. However, his approach is not always skillful and stringent.
Merz's tone has recently become noticeably harsher, particularly in his relations with the USA: Donald Trump actually liked him quite a lot. If only because Merz was not Merkel. What's more, Merz hardly dared to speak back at first.
In the meantime, the bromance has grown cold, with Merz daring to criticize the US president, who retaliated with higher tariffs on German cars and the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.
How do the Germans rate their chancellor?
Cautiously - to put it mildly. In a recent nationwide survey, only 15 percent of respondents were satisfied with the government's work. This is the lowest rating ever for Merz and his cabinet.
The loss of trust also affects the leader personally: on the popularity scale of 20 top politicians, Friedrich Merz is in last place - well behind opposition leader Alice Weidel from the AfD and Left Party frontwoman Heidi Reichinnek.
If elections were held now, all polls suggest that the Merz government of CDU/CSU and SPD would no longer have a majority. Together, the coalition parties only have 34 to 40 percent. In four out of five polls conducted by major opinion research institutes since mid-April, the AfD has replaced the CDU/CSU as the strongest force - with a lead of up to four percentage points.
The conclusion? Governing is obviously not that easy. In any case, it takes more than a beer mat idea.
This article was created using agency material, among other things.
