Opinion polls continue to cause intense headaches in the political world of Berlin. The latest Deutschlandtrend poll, conducted at national level on behalf of the public network ARD, puts the German far-right, Alternative for Germany, firmly in second place with 22%. In fact, it appears strengthened by one unit compared to the last survey, after the Christian Union (CDU/CSU), which receives 29%.

The percentages of the three-party co-government are disappointing: 16% for the Social Democrats of Chancellor Olaf Solz, 14% for the Greens and 6% for the Liberals, while the Left, which is in a phase of division, is in danger of being left out of parliament with 4%.

According to the same poll, 73% of German respondents consider the country’s general economic situation to be “less good” or “bad” than last year. 46% estimate that a year from now, Germany’s economic situation will worsen.

Germans’ assessments of their well-being also exude pessimism, with 83% seeing inequalities in its distribution. Beyond that, the two main problems in Germany today, according to the poll, are focused on the areas of the economy and dealing with immigration.

Far-right triumph in Saxony?

A second poll, this time by the INSA institute on behalf of East German newspapers, comes to stir the political waters even more. If elections were held in the crucial East German state of Saxony this Sunday, the AfD would emerge as the top party with 35%, with the Christian Democrats following on 29%.

As for the other parties, Social Democrats, Greens, Liberals and Left, they would receive single digit percentages.

The results of the poll on the image that the citizens of Saxony have regarding the performance of the federal government in Berlin are also disastrous. Three out of four, or 78%, are dissatisfied with the actions of the German coalition government.

It should be noted that the next elections in Saxony are expected on 9 June 2024, together with state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate.

Unemployment bell

At the same time, the new statistics on unemployment that were made public are causing concern. A total of 2.7 million were unemployed in Germany in August 2023 in a total population of almost 84 million inhabitants, with the unemployment rate hovering at 5.8%. This is 79,000 more unemployed than in July 2023 and 148,000 more than in August 2022.

According to the official data, in addition to unemployment, the increase in underemployment is considered problematic, which records an increase of around 10,000 young underemployed. However, the head of the Federal Employment Agency, Andrea Nahles, observes that the general picture of the German labor market appears stable, although the weaknesses of the German economy have left their mark.