Germany trend: Chancellor in free fall – Scholz crashes

Germany Germany trend

Chancellor in free fall – Scholz crashes

“To formulate something like this as Chancellor causes extreme uncertainty”

In a recent interview, Olaf Scholz said there should be no nuclear war. Regarding this statement, Thomas Vitzthum says: “To formulate something like this as Federal Chancellor causes extreme public uncertainty. This then became the message: Scholz warns of nuclear war.

His actions during the war cost the chancellor popularity: In the Germany trend, Olaf Scholz (SPD) lost a lot of support. He convinces only a third of the population with his course. Citizens are divided on the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

ZHesitation instead of grabbing, caution instead of rushing ahead: this course has Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) maneuvered through the Ukraine crisis in recent weeks. The Chancellor’s actions are apparently causing uncertainty among German citizens.

Only 39 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with their work, another drop of a whopping twelve percentage points after Scholz had already lost a lot of approval in February. This was the result of the current Germany trend by Infratest Dimap on behalf of ARD “Tagesthemen” and WELT.

Scholz thus falls in the popularity scale to the lowest value since taking over the chancellorship. Only 47 percent now believe that he is up to the job of chancellor, down 19 percent from when he took office last September. 64 percent find his actions “cautious”.

Source: Infographic WORLD

But only 37 percent believe that he can lead the country well through a crisis (down 23 percentage points), and only 33 percent find his Ukraine course convincing. In addition, the chancellor’s communication skills leave a lot to be desired. Only 27 percent of respondents find them “convincing”.

also read

Germany supplies Gepard tanks to Ukraine.  But opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) thinks very little of Olaf Scholz' (SPD) actions

Germany and the war

The good poll numbers for the Green members of the government show how things can be done differently. Both Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (both Green) showed leadership in the Ukraine crisis and authentically communicated their inner turmoil. They increased by two and three percentage points and lead the popularity scale with 56 percent each, ahead of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD, minus six) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP, plus two). Scholz only reached fifth place, ahead of CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who also lost popularity.

Source: Infographic WORLD

In the assessment of the federal government’s Ukraine policy, the mood is inconsistent. 36 percent (minus one) still consider it to be “appropriate”. For 41 percent, it is “not going far enough”, four percentage points less than at the beginning of the month. FDP and Greens supporters in particular want the federal government to take a more determined approach. The camp of those for whom the reaction has already gone too far (15 percent) gained four percentage points. It feeds mainly on supporters of the AfD. Left Party supporters were not recorded separately.

This is how the Germans evaluate arms deliveries

Citizens are also divided on the issue of arms deliveries. 35 percent find the support for Ukraine appropriate, 31 percent insufficient and 27 percent already going too far. In general, 52 percent are in favor of resolute military support for Ukraine – here too, supporters of the Greens and FDP are the main supporters, followed by supporters of the Union. 40 percent, however, urge restraint “so as not to provoke Russia”.

Source: Infographic WORLD

Among the supporters of the AfD it is even 72 percent. Citizens are even more divided when it comes to assessing the delivery of heavy weapons technology such as tanks, as announced by Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) this week. 45 percent are currently in favor of it, 45 percent against it.

Weapons for Ukraine – our research

The mood is somewhat clearer when it comes to imports of Russian gas and oil. Only 22 percent call for an immediate stop in deliveries. The majority of 54 percent advocates a gradual exit, 19 percent want to keep energy imports. In the last poll in early April, 50 percent said they supported an immediate and complete energy boycott of Russia. In view of the exorbitantly rising energy prices, realism is evidently taking hold here.

also read

A worker on the Yamal pipeline in Belarus, near the Polish border

The federal government’s crisis management has a negative impact on government satisfaction. Overall, the camp of skeptics has grown by six percentage points to 39 percent; only 41 percent are satisfied or very satisfied. At least the SPD and the Greens are still convincing their own supporters: 70 and 69 percent respectively agree with the performance of the traffic light.

The FDP supporters, on the other hand, are disappointed. A majority of 54 percent is dissatisfied, as are the supporters of the opposition. It is interesting that the work of the Greens is rated better than that of the SPD (37) and FDP (36) with a total of 43 percent approval.

also read

Ricarda Lang, 28, is the leader of the Green Party

There is currently not much movement in the federal political mood overall. The Union has improved slightly compared to the beginning of the month to 26 percent (plus one), the SPD is unchanged at 24 percent. The Greens could count on 18 percent (minus one), AfD and FDP still with eleven and nine percent respectively.

The already weak left would have to after the resignation of Party leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow and MeToo scandals in several state associations lost another percentage point and is at an all-time low of three percent.

also read

April 23, 2022, Berlin: Janine Wissler, Federal Chairwoman of the Left Party, speaks at a press conference before two-day consultations of the Left Party Executive.  Photo: Christophe Gateau/dpa +++ dpa picture radio +++

For the Germany trend, Infratest Dimap has 1314 from April 25th to 27th Eligible voters questioned.

This is where you will find third-party content

In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.

You can listen to our WELT podcasts here

In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.

in the Podcast “Kick-off Politics” from Monday to Friday we will give you the most important background information on a top political topic of the day in conversation with WELT experts. From 6 a.m., in just 10 minutes.

source site