Merz Sinks to Bottom of Global Leader Rankings as German Discontent Hits Historic Lows

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has claimed an ignominious global distinction: according to survey data from US-based research institute Morning Consult, he is now the least popular democratically elected head of government among 24 major democracies tracked by the organization. Only 19 percent of German respondents indicated satisfaction with his performance, while a full 76 percent expressed disapproval, the highest negative rating recorded in the survey.

The numbers place Merz at the very bottom of the international ranking. French President Emmanuel Macron registered slightly lower approval at 18 percent, but his disapproval figure of 75 percent left Merz with the worst net rating among all leaders measured. The findings were corroborated by a separate survey conducted by German polling firm Forsa on behalf of broadcaster RTL, which produced nearly identical results: 78 percent dissatisfaction against 20 percent approval.

Manfred Güllner, who leads Forsa, told that Merz's unpopularity is not a recent development but rather a continuation of a long-established pattern. The polling chief noted that Merz was already among the most unpopular political figures in the Federal Republic during his initial active political career in the early 2000s. His return to frontline politics has not altered that trajectory. Güllner observed that resistance to Merz is particularly pronounced among women, younger voters, and residents of eastern Germany. Rather than moderating after his election as Germany's tenth chancellor, the reservations have intensified during his tenure.

Hermann Binkert, head of the Insa polling institute, offered a complementary diagnosis. He told that the chancellor has broken campaign commitments, that Germany's economic trajectory continues to point downward, and that a broad swath of the population perceives the country as trapped in a spiral of decline. Binkert added that neither the bourgeois-conservative camp nor the left-liberal progressive wing finds the governing coalition's legislative output satisfactory.

The global context of the survey underscores the depth of German discontent. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi topped the rankings with 70 percent approval, followed by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at 63 percent and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš at 55 percent. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan occupied the lower half of the mid-range with 36 percent approval and 50 percent disapproval, though the survey methodology in Turkey was not specified, and some analysts no longer classify the country as a fully functioning democracy. US President Donald Trump placed slightly ahead of Erdoğan, with 38 percent approval against 57 percent disapproval, figures broadly consistent with a separate Economist survey that found 37 percent satisfaction.

Güllner rejected the notion that Germans are inherently more skeptical of political leadership than other nationalities. He pointed to predecessors such as Konrad Adenauer, Willy Brandt, and Gerhard Schröder, all of whom commanded substantial public confidence during their chancellorships. The current discontent, Güllner argued, is not a reflection of German cultural pessimism but rather a specific rejection of Merz personally.

The comparison with Merz's immediate predecessor is particularly stark. Olaf Scholz, even at his lowest ebb, retained significantly higher support. In mid-June 2024, 28 percent of respondents approved of Scholz's performance as chancellor, with 67 percent rating it negatively. Merz has now fallen below even that diminished benchmark.

The Morning Consult tracker surveys adults in each participating country and reports findings as a seven-day simple moving average of responses.