Merz's bloc narrows gap with far-right AfD, poll shows
A new ZDF poll shows Germany's conservative CDU/CSU bloc rising to 23%, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) lost two points and stands at 26%.
The latest voter survey by Germany's public broadcaster ZDF indicates that the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, led by Friedrich Merz, has cut its deficit behind the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Support for the bloc has risen to 23%, while the AfD's rating has fallen by two percentage points to 26%. The gap between the two forces in German politics has therefore become smaller.
Poll details
The survey was carried out in October this year and covered 1,225 voters. The results reflect the popularity of the parties among voters: the CDU/CSU (the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, Germany's allied conservative bloc) shows an increase, while the AfD shows a decline.
What it means
At 26% versus 23%, the AfD still leads Merz's bloc in the poll, but the margin is narrower than before. The source does not provide further explanation of the reasons for the rise or the fall.
