Senior figures within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) are allegedly discussing the possible ousting of Chancellor Friedrich Merz due to his record-low approval ratings, according to German media reports.
According to Bild, talks about potentially “swapping” Merz for another chancellor are reportedly taking place within the party’s top ranks, including among regional leaders such as Hendrik Wust of North Rhine-Westphalia, Boris Rhein of Hesse, and Michael Kretschmer of Saxony.
Wust, who leads Germany’s most populous state, has also been floated by Bild, Focus, and Die Welt as a potential replacement for Merz. Several outlets have described him as Germany’s third most popular politician and the highest-rated CDU figure, while Merz was recently named the world’s most unpopular political leader in a public opinion survey.
Eckart Lohse, head of the parliamentary editorial office at FAZ, wrote on Wednesday that even CDU members who don’t openly oppose Merz now “consider the chancellor weak” and speak of “a palpable feeling of unease.”
“Faith in the strength of the federal government and its leader appears to have eroded so much, even within its own ranks, that the dwindling confidence is no longer being concealed,” Lohse wrote.
Other outlets, including Bild and Focus, have described the reported talks about removing the chancellor as “rumors,” stressing that no concrete plans have emerged so far.
Since taking office in May of 2025, Merz has stepped up support for Ukraine and accelerated Germany’s rearmament drive. He has pledged to make the Bundeswehr Europe’s “strongest” conventional army, citing what he describes as a growing Russian threat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly dismissed claims that Moscow plans to attack NATO countries as “nonsense,” accusing European leaders of using the narrative to distract their citizens from domestic problems.
Merz has also urged Germans to work more, describing the country’s welfare model as outdated and unsustainable. By mid-April, his disapproval rating had climbed to 76%, with just 19% of Germans satisfied with his performance.