German elections: Is Merkel losing ground or Shultz is winning?

merkel-schulz

Visit of Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, to Germany                                        Jean-Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz (from left to right) Date: 12/05/2016. Location: Berlin – European House. © European Union , 2016 / Source: EC – Audiovisual Service / Photo: Adam Berry

Martin Schulz’s candidacy for Chancellor has changed the balance in the German elections as polls show that Angela Merkel and the Christian Democrats (CDU) are left in the second place after the Social Democrats (SPD). The polls which are conducted by the Emnid institute and by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for broadcaster ZDF reveal a clear lead of the SPD party and Martin Schulz as the next Chancellor. These results must be a surprise even for the warmest supporters of SPD party which hasn’t won an election for the last fifteen years. However, it is still too early to judge the outcome of the German federal elections based on just opinion polls the moment that Martin Schulz’s policy is yet unknown. Besides, opinion polls have been wrong both at the U.S. Presidency and the UK-EU referendum votes. Opinion polls at a glance The opinion poll by YouGov published on February 13 showed that 64% of Germans would like a new chancellor. Only 19% supported that it was probably best for Angela Merkel to stay at her position with 8% to say that she should definitely be the German Chancellor. Another poll held out by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for broadcaster ZDF showed that 49% of the German voters want Schulz to be their next Chancellor while 38% prefer Merkel to stay in office. That is a remarkable turnaround if one thinks that the same poll at the end of January had shown that Merkel had 44% while Schulz only 40%. The Emnid poll which was conducted on 1.885 voters gave the SPD 33% of the vote while the Christian Democrats and the Christian Social Union would win 32%. According to Reuters, the SPD has gained 12 points in the last four weeks, when Martin Schulz was named as its candidate to run against Merkel in the federal elections. Shultz gains ground but untill when? In less than a month, Martin Schulz has managed to increase the popularity of the Social Democrats and put them in lead position against CDU/CSU coalition in the German elections on September 24. One of the reasons for the latter seems to be that the former president of the European Parliament is a new political figure in the German political arena. It is a fact that the Social Democrats’ candidate will be a strong opponent for Angela Merkel but how long will this popularity last? Is it because Martin Schulz is providing some added value to the German politics and to the SPD or the current Chancellor has lost her popularity during the last years? It is known that Martin Schulz is not experienced in German politics as has been only a mayor of Würselen, a small German town. Nevertheless Schulz is a European politics expert and has promised to fight right-wing populism and campaign for social justice which has boosted his popularity. Merkel fights hard for her fourth term The decision of Mrs Merkel to open the German borders to thousands of refugees during 2015 has decreased her popularity to the CSU party and to the German voters. However, the German Chancellor continues supporting displaced immigrants and particularly Angela Merkel mentioned at the Munich security conference last weekend that the EU should take refugees from Syria and Iraq as ‘Islam is not the source of terror”. What is more, Greece is struggling to find common grounds with its EU creditors since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) does not want to financially participate to the programme initially. Therefore, Angela Merkel is likely to intervene in order to convince the IMF at the separate meetings that are scheduled today with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The last thing that the Chancellor wants now is a possible Grexit which would be devastating not only for Europe but also for her political career. Who is going to be next Chancellor? As in every European country, right-wing parties have increased their popularity in Germany too during the last years. Thus, German people are attempting now to find a political leader who could bring prosperity to the already most prosperous country in Europe. All in all, Martin Schulz is a person that Germans would believe since he is new and has not been timeworn. But he is not someone chosen because of his skills, but rather voted due to the fact that people think that Merkel is not doing her job very well. Also, it is quite difficult to believe that Schulz’s policy would be a lot different from Merkel´s. Opinion polls lately around the world have shown that are not creditworthy and should not be taken into such a mindful consideration after all. The recent outcomes of Brexit and Donald Trup corroborate this fact. It is thus the average opinion of the German citizen that Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz will be influencing in the coming months in order for the next Chancellor to be elected.

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Interesting reads

© UNFPA Ukraine In March 2026, a maternity hospital in Odesa, Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces.

World News in Brief: More attacks in Ukraine, violence against children in Haiti, refugee IDs in Africa

This article is published in association with United Nations. Civilians, including humanitarians, continue to face great danger across war-torn Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities, according to the UN humanitarian relief coordination office there, OCHA. Over the past three days, frontline attacks killed at least 11 civilians and injured nearly 200 others, including five children, as reported by […]
UN Photo/Milton Grant Sculpture depicting St. George slaying the dragon. The dragon is created from fragments of Soviet SS-20 andUnited States Pershing nuclear missiles.

Nuclear terror threat ‘has never been so high’

This article is published in association with United Nations. The widespread availability of new technology, such as militarised drones and artificial intelligence, means that the current threat of nuclear terrorism is higher than it has ever been. The humanitarian, environmental, and economic consequences of a radiological or nuclear terrorist attack would be global, undermining international peace […]
© UNICEF/Nyan Zay Htet Recent disruptions to energy supplies and global supply chains have reverberated across development and humanitarian sectors, including relief efforts in Myanmar, where millions remain in need of assistance.

Global energy and trade disruption pushing millions towards poverty

This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions to global energy supplies and trade corridors are driving up the cost of food, transport and essential goods worldwide, slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on vulnerable households and debt-strapped developing countries. The warnings came during a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council […]
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher (centre) along with Ambassador Mike Waltz (right) and Jeremy P. Lewin of the United States hold a joint press briefing on funding to the humanitarian system.

UN welcomes $1.8 billion US boost for humanitarian operations

This article is published in association with United Nations. An additional $1.8 billion in US humanitarian funding will allow the United Nations and its partners to expand emergency relief operations reaching millions of people worldwide, as rising global needs and funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance. The funding announcement, made on Wednesday by […]
© WHO/Hanan Balkhy Displaced families are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, surrounded by waste and debris, with limited access to safe water and sanitation services.

World News in Brief: Mounting waste in Gaza, drone attacks in Sudan, aid truck struck in Ukraine

This article is published in association with United Nations. Mounting waste and limited access to sanitation sites are deepening health risks for families across Gaza, as humanitarian workers warn that overcrowded dumping areas and worsening living conditions threaten vulnerable communities. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN’s top aid official in Occupied Palestinian Territory visited a dumping site in Gaza […]
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Franco Miguel Nodado, a 4th-year medical student from the Philippines. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Autism Spectrum Disorders in Global Health: Bridging the Gap in  Awareness, Early Diagnosis, and Inclusive Care 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Georgia Maria Vardalachaki, a medical student from the Medical University of Crete, Greece. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s […]
© WHO/Hedinn Halldorsson WHO Director-General Tedros and a health expert during operations involving the MV Hondius off Tenerife amid the hantavirus response.

Hantavirus-hit ship evacuation completed as quarantines begin

This article is published in association with United Nations. The passengers and crew have disembarked from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife and many have returned to their home countries, as the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said the operation demonstrated a “triumph of solidarity”. The repatriation effort, coordinated by Spanish authorities with support […]
© NASA The Strait of Hormuz which separates the United Arab Emirates and Iran is a strategically important shipping route

Strait of Hormuz de-escalation is urgent, says UN chief

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and tensions between Iran and the United States remain unresolved, oil prices rose again early Monday, prompting the UN Secretary-General to call for a peaceful resolution and warn of the widening fallout across Africa and beyond. “My strong appeal is […]
This article is published in association with United Nations.

Ukraine: Over 3,000 attacks on healthcare since full-scale Russian invasion

This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified more than 3,000 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency reported on Friday. “During 1,534 days of war, Ukraine’s healthcare system has experienced repeated attacks,” it said.  Every aspect of the system has been […]
WHO Passengers from MV Hondius assisted by Spanish and WHO health teams after disembarking.

Passengers leave hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Tenerife as WHO says outbreak ‘not another COVID’

This article is published in association with United Nations. Passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Hondius began disembarking in Tenerife on Sunday under a tightly coordinated international health operation led by Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), as officials sought to reassure the public that the outbreak “is not another COVID.” The […]
Nuclear energy in the Middle East: A realistic choice or a risk?

Nuclear energy in the Middle East: A realistic choice or a risk?

This article is published in association with United Nations. As global electricity demand grows, so does the popularity of nuclear energy. In the Middle East, several countries are evaluating or advancing nuclear power projects, balancing weighty issues such as regional security, climatic conditions and international cooperation. “Nuclear energy is at the intersection of energy demands, technological […]
© NASA The Strait of Hormuz which separates the United Arab Emirates and Iran is a strategically important shipping route

Bahrain and US float Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz

This article is published in association with United Nations. Bahrain and the United States have circulated a draft Security Council resolution calling for Iran to cease attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, their ambassadors outlined to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday. The text is supported by Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the […]
© CDC An enhanced microscopic image shows the Hantavirus.

Hantavirus outbreak: Another passenger contracts disease

This article is published in association with United Nations. It’s been confirmed that another passenger from the cruise liner linked to the outbreak of hantavirus has contracted the disease, which has claimed the lives of three people on board and sparked an international alert coordinated by the UN World Health Organization (WHO). The individual, who is […]
This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN warns of worsening human rights crisis in Mali after deadly attacks

This article is published in association with United Nations. The human rights situation in Mali is rapidly deteriorating following coordinated attacks by armed groups across the country, with civilians killed, displaced and cut off from food and aid, UN rights office OHCHR said on Tuesday. The violence, which erupted on 25 and 26 April, saw large-scale […]
© UNICEF A damaged ambulance in Tebnine in southern Lebanon.

In Lebanon, the same fears and dangers persist despite ceasefire: UNHCR

This article is published in association with United Nations. Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday. “Civilians in the south of Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa [Valley] are really living with the […]
© Unsplash/Planet Volumes A computer-generated image shows the Strait of Hormuz.

Uncertainty continues over safety in the Strait of Hormuz

This article is published in association with United Nations. Amid claims and counter-claims of strikes and confrontations in the crucial Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the United States, UN maritime officials continue to urge vessels to exercise “maximum caution”. “We are aware of the reports but do not have further details. We continue to urge […]
© ADB/Ariel Javellana Women farmers in India sell wheat grain and buy fertilizer with the proceeds.

Middle East crisis puts aid, food, fuel further out of reach for millions already struggling – UN agencies

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the Middle East crisis continues the humanitarian fallout is worsening, with aid route disruptions and food and fuel price hikes wrecking the lives and the rights of the most vulnerable people worldwide, UN agencies warned on Friday. Heightened insecurity and instability around key Gulf routes, including […]
© Unsplash/Angus Gray Ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped by over 90 per cent since the crisis escalated in late February 2026.

Hormuz crisis strangling global economy, Guterres warns, demanding solutions to end stalemate

This article is published in association with United Nations. The escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could push tens of millions into poverty, trigger a surge in global hunger and even tip the world towards recession, the UN Secretary-General warned on Thursday. António Guterres decried the restrictions on free passage through the crucial chokepoint which […]
This article is published in association with United Nations.

AI in advertising risks fuelling information crisis, UN warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. With spending on advertising topping $1 trillion a year worldwide, the United Nations on Wednesday highlighted the untapped power of major brands to shape the future of Artificial Intelligence, warning that a failure to act could deepen a global information integrity crisis. In a new brief titled […]

Why don't you drop your comment here?

Go back up

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology – europeansting.com