Support for Merkel and coalition partners falls to lowest ever level, as Greens gain in polls

More than half of Germans no longer want Angela Merkel to continue as chancellor, according to new opinion polls released on Friday.

Support for Mrs Merkel’s party and her coalition partners fell to their lowest ever levels in a clear sign confidence in her government is rapidly fading.

Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party were at just 25 per cent in a poll for ARD television, down from 32.9 per cent in last year’s election. A rival poll for ZDF television had the CDU at 27 per cent.

Mrs Merkel’s main coalition partners, the centre-Left Social Democrats, fell to fourth place with just 14 per cent in both polls.

The findings are the lowest ever figures for Germany’s two main parties in either poll, and reflect the growing upheaval in the country’s political scene.

The Green Party, which made significant gains in regional elections in Bavaria last week, continues to be the main beneficiary, surging to second place with 20 per cent in the ZDF poll, and 19 per cent according to the ARD.

The nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD) was in third place with 16 per cent in both polls.

Most troubling for Mrs Merkel, though, will be that 56 per cent of Germans now believe she should no longer continue as chancellor according to the ZDF poll

The finding came despite the fact that 54 per cent of Germans still believe she is doing a good job, according to the same poll.

The poll figures will make grim reading for Mrs Merkel a week before another round of key regional elections — this time in Hesse, home to Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt.

The CDU is desperate to retain control of the state, which is one of its traditional strongholds, but is facing a strong challenge from the Greens and the AfD.

There are growing predictions that if the CDU loses power in Hesse Mrs Merkel may face a challenge for the party leadership.

She has to stand for re-election at the party conference in December — a vote that would normally be a formality with the chancellor waved through unopposed. 

But with public support for Mrs Merkel evaporating the mood in the party is shifting. A number of rank outsiders have said they would like to stand against her, but so far no serious challenger has entered the ring.