Germans see economy as top problem: Poll

Nearly four in five Germans name the economy as one of the country’s biggest problems, according to a new poll by the Forsa institute.

Fifteen months into Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, 79% of respondents listed the economic situation as their top concern — well ahead of migration, climate change, or security risks tied to wars abroad.

The survey also found a clear gap between voters’ priorities and the political debate in Berlin: 84% of those polled believe parties are failing to address people’s real problems.

Discontent with politicians and political parties ranked as the second-biggest concern, cited by 50% of respondents. Forty-two percent named the social security system as a major problem.

Only 17% listed immigration as a major concern, followed by fears over the rise of right-wing extremism at 14%, problems in the education system at 11%, and climate change and risks linked to global wars at 10% each.

In the latest Forsa party preference poll, the far-right Alternative for Germany remained clearly ahead with 28%, seven points ahead of Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc. The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the conservatives’ coalition partner, stood at 12%. The opposition Greens polled at 16% and the Left Party at 12%. The liberal Free Democrats remained at 4%, below the threshold for parliamentary representation.