Germany news: Far-right AfD makes push in district elections
Skip next section AfD edges toward 30% support, according to poll 06/06/2026 June 6, 2026 AfD edges toward 30% support, according to poll Merz's conservative
Skip next section AfD edges toward 30% support, according to poll 06/06/2026 June 6, 2026 AfD edges toward 30% support, according to poll Merz's conservative CDU/CSU alliance is progressively losing ground to the far-right AfD in polls [FILE: July 2025] Image: dts-Agentur/picture alliance The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has increased its lead over Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling Christian Democrats (CDU), according to a new poll released by the INSA institute on Saturday. According to the survey, the AfD had 29% support, a substantial lead ahead of the CDU and its Bavarian CSU sister party, with the conservative alliance netting only 21%.
The survey suggests the CDU/CSU's junior coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), could drop a rank to become Germany's fourth-largest party with 12% support, behind the environmentalist Greens at 14% but ahead of the socialist Left Party at 11%. According to the INSA survey, some 77% of respondents were dissatisfied with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's performance in government, 6 points more than in April. Merz warns of AfD 'big bang' in state elections Also on Saturday, Merz warned against what he described as a potential "big bang" breakthrough by the AfD in regional polls.
"There is more at stake than just the future of a government," Merz said at a party conference in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the northeast of the country. "If we are not good enough, then just such a big bang will happen," Merz said. "In a different way from what some may have imagined." Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and eastern Saxony-Anhalt are to hold elections in September, with polls suggesting the AfD could become the largest party in the two states for the first time in its history.
The state government in Saxony-Anhalt is currently held by the CDU, while Mecklenburg-West Pomerania's premiership is held by the SPD. The AFD shows a massive lead ahead of the CDU in most recent polls in Saxony-Anhalt as well as a substantial one ahead of the SPD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The BriefWire