dissatisfaction with the cabinet grows - Pistorius an exception
Satisfaction with Chancellor Scholz and His Cabinet Members among Germans Reaches New Low
German satisfaction with the work of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and most of his cabinet members has reached a new low. However, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is the only cabinet member whose work continues to gain approval from a majority of Germans. According to an RTL/ntv-Trendbarometer survey, 64% of Germans are satisfied with Pistorius' work - an increase of 17 percentage points compared to February 2023. Only 27% are dissatisfied or not opinionated about his work. In February 2023, 35% had no opinion, which is now down to 9%.
Shortly after taking office, 47% of Germans were satisfied with Pistorius' work. The German Defense Minister has significantly gained ground among the German population in the past year and a half. Unlike all other surveyed cabinet members, Pistorius' work is approved of not only by a large majority of SPD supporters (62%), but also by the supporters of the Greens, FDP, and even the Union parties. However, among AfD supporters (of whom 43% are still satisfied with his work) and BSW supporters, the number of those dissatisfied with his work outweighs the number of those satisfied.
Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz performs the worst among the surveyed cabinet members. Only 23% of Germans are satisfied with Scholz's work - a further decline of 11 percentage points compared to July of the previous year. Three quarters (76%) of Germans are now dissatisfied or not opinionated about Scholz's work - an increase of 12 percentage points compared to the previous summer.
Majority satisfaction with Scholz's work is now expressed only by SPD supporters (62%), among whom almost 40% are also dissatisfied or not opinionated about their "own" Chancellor's work. Among Greens supporters, only one third (33%) and among FDP supporters, only around one fifth (21%), are satisfied with Scholz's work.
Satisfaction with Baerbock and Habeck's Work Continues to Decline
The number of Germans satisfied with the work of Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has declined significantly. Currently, 59% of Germans are not satisfied with her work, compared to 37% who are. In February 2023, 49% of Germans expressed satisfaction with Baerbock's work. Majority satisfaction with Baerbock's work is now expressed only by Greens supporters (84%) and SPD supporters (62%), not by FDP supporters (42%).
Similarly, satisfaction with the work of Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck has also declined significantly. Currently, only 33% of Germans are satisfied with Habeck's work (compared to 48% in February 2023), while 64% are dissatisfied or not opinionated. Majority satisfaction with Habeck's work is now expressed only by Greens supporters (77%) and SPD supporters (54%). Habeck has had to deal not only with the controversy over the budget law and the affair surrounding his state secretary Patrick Graichen, but also with Germany's declining economic performance.
With the work of Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner, currently 61% (minus 4 percentage points) are satisfied and 71% (plus 7 percentage points) are less satisfied or not satisfied at all. A majority of FDP supporters (64%) express satisfaction with Lindner's work as Finance Minister, while a minority of SPD (35%) and Green (20%) supporters are satisfied.
With the work of Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, currently 31% of the German population are satisfied. 69% are less satisfied or not satisfied at all. A majority of SPD supporters express satisfaction with Faeser's work.
The data for the RTL/ntv Trendbarometer were collected by market and opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of RTL Germany between the 11th of June and the 12th of July. Sample size: 1007 respondents. Margin of error: plus/minus 3 percentage points.
More information about Forsa here.
Forsa Surveys on behalf of RTL Germany.
- The RTL/ntv-Trendbarometer survey also indicated that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has gained approval from a majority of supporters from the SPD, Greens, FDP, and Union parties.
- Annalena Baerbock, the Federal Foreign Minister, and Robert Habeck, the Federal Economics Minister, both experienced a significant decrease in the number of Germans satisfied with their work, according to the same survey.
- The RTL/ntv-Trendbarometer results revealed that a majority of supporters from the SPD, Greens, and Greens alone are still satisfied with Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner's work.
- In contrast to Pistorius, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has seen a decline in satisfaction among a majority of the German population, with only a minority of supporters from the SPD expressing satisfaction with her work.
- The findings from the Forsa survey, conducted on behalf of RTL Germany, showed that Chancellor Olaf Scholz has the lowest satisfaction rating among surveyed cabinet members, with a majority of Germans being dissatisfied or not opinionated regarding his work.
- The satisfaction level with SPD's Boris Pistorius has increased significantly over the past year and a half, becoming the only cabinet member to maintain approval from a majority of Germans in the most recent RTL/ntv-Trendbarometer survey.
