ZDF survey: Union and AfD in political barometer for the first time

The Union and AfD are on par in the current ZDF “Politbarometer” for the first time. In the survey of the Mannheim research group elections published on Friday, CDU/CSU and AfD each reach 26 percent. The Union worsens by one percentage point compared to the survey two weeks ago, the AfD improves by one point.

In third place, the SPD remains 15 percent unchanged. The Left Party now follows with eleven percent (plus one) in front of the Greens with ten percent (minus one). At three percent, BSW and FDP would not continue to move into the Bundestag each. Six percent are predicted for other parties. There would be no parliamentary majority for the current black-red coalition in this result.

In the ranking of the ten most important politicians, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) with an approval value of 1.8 (minus 0.2) remains in first place. Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul (CDU) followed with 0.6 (minus 0.1), Minister of Labor Bärbel BAS (SPD) with 0.0 (minus 0.5) and finance minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) also 0.0 (minus 0.4).

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) slips into the negative area with minus 0.2 (minus 0.2). BSW boss Sahra Wagenknecht with minus 1.9 (unchanged) and AfD boss Alice Weidel with minus 2.4 (both unchanged) are the bottom lights.

Despite the grown support for the AfD, only a minority of 21 percent expects a better policy if the right -wing extremist party in the federal government would be agreed. In this case, 60 percent assume poorer policy, for 16 percent an AfD government participation would not make a big difference. Of the AfD supporters, 65 percent said that they would choose the party out of conviction, 33 percent spoke of a memo for other parties.

With a view to the federal budget, 56 percent spoke in principle for spending cuts. In question for specific individual plans, however, 88 percent more money for education, 68 percent additional funds for transport infrastructure and 58 percent more money for the Bundeswehr. Additional expenses in the social sector are in favor of 40 percent – another 34 percent want to stick to the status quo, only 23 percent would be good.

The concerns about a Russian attack on Eastern European NATO countries have increased significantly. For the first time, more than half of the respondents (56 percent) expect that such an attack by Russia will occur in Poland or the Baltic States, 39 percent do not expect this.

In East Germany, however, 51 percent do not expect such an attack. 47 percent stated that NATO should react to Russian provocations with drones with more military strength, 44 percent reject this.

The Israeli procedure in the Gaza Strip, combined with high victims under the Palestinian civilian population, comes across massive criticism. 83 percent do not consider this procedure to be justified, only ten percent of the opposite are of the opposite.

The research group elections for the “Politbarometer” responded to the eligible voters from Tuesday to Thursday in 1419. Depending on the percentage, the statistical error rate was specified with two to three percentage points.