Merz Shuts Door on AfD Cooperation as Polls Erode His Standing

Overview

• Speaking at the CDU/CSU Youth Union congress, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said there will be no cooperation with Alternative for Germany, arguing the parties share nothing in common.
• Merz called on coalition partner SPD to help push back the AfD and said the coalition must prove it can solve problems so voters stop turning to the far‑right party.
• The CDU/CSU’s “firewall” approach continues to reject AfD initiatives and excludes any form of collaboration.
• Deutschlandtrend polling for ARD shows 55% of Germans oppose a blanket ban on cooperation with AfD, with CDU/CSU supporters split 46% for selective cooperation, 10% in principle in favor, and 41% against any cooperation.
• Bloomberg reports growing dissatisfaction with Merz’s government and cites RTL/n‑tv polling that only 16% want him as a future chancellor candidate, raising doubts after six months of limited progress on his economic, infrastructure, defense and migration pledges.