Merkel on brink: Support for Germany coalition PLUMMETS to ALL-TIME LOW
SUPPORT for Angela Merkel’s German coalition has plummeted to its lowest ever level, a new poll has suggested, with the beleaguered Chancellor beset by problems on all sides as she desperately tries to hold her Government together.
By CIARAN MCGRATH
Express.co.uk
Fri, Sep 21, 2018
The ARD DeutschlandTrend survey put support for Mrs Merkel’s conservative alliance – between her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU) – at 28 percent, down one point from September 6, its lowest ever figure.
Mrs Merkel, who has led Germany since 2005, only narrowly averted the collapse of her coalition government in June after a row between the CDU and the CSU over immigration policy.
The conservative sister parties and their Social Democrat Party (SPD) junior coalition partners this week agreed to oust the head of the BfV domestic agency over accusations that he harboured sympathies to the far-right – but only by effectively giving him a promotion.
The decision to give Hans-Georg Maassen a deputy minister position at the interior ministry was derided as a bad compromise which allowed the ruling parties to paper over deep differences which could make their coalition unworkable.
Mr Maassen had come under fire after questioning the veracity of a video appearing to show foreigners being attacked on the streets of Chemnitz by neo-Nazi extremists – in direct contradiction to Mrs Merkel.
He was defended by interior minister – and CSU leader – Horst Seehofer, who is now his direct boss.
However, the CSU has since hinted the decision to give him a new job could now be reversed in response to the criticism.
The telephone poll of 1,035 people, which was conducted between September 17 and 19, also indicated far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) could expect to be the second-largest party in the German Parliament, were an election held tomorrow.
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