New Low for Scholz as Approval Ratings Slip 14 Points in Latest Ranking

Public opinion regarding Germany's incumbent federal government is currently critical. Among those surveyed, only a quarter rated the performance of the Olaf Scholz-led administration as either “fairly good” or “very good.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has seen a marked decline in his approval ratings, resulting in him falling to 14th place among 20 prominent politicians, Der Spiegel reported, citing ratings by Verian. Scholz has lost 14 percentage points.

The current public opinion of the incumbent federal government can be described in stark terms. Only a quarter of the surveyed individuals rated their work as "fairly good" or "very good." Meanwhile, over 70 percent expressed a negative view, with 39 percent deeming it "rather bad" and 32 percent "very bad."

Other ruling coalition members also saw declines in approval: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) dropped by four percent each. However, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius maintained his position, securing second place on the list, right behind Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The most significant gains in approval were seen by Markus Soeder, the opposition Christian Social Union (CSU) leader, who rose by seven percent, and Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), who gained eight percent.

In November, the German Ministry of Finance froze additional government spending until the end of 2023, impacting nearly all budget allocations across various departments. On December 13, the German Cabinet of Ministers concluded meetings addressing the budget crisis, ultimately deciding to cut next year's budget by €17 billion ($18.7 billion).