ANGELA Merkel’s approval rating has dropped to an all-time low amid the ongoing row over migration policy and a spate of violent far-right protests in Chemnitz.
Support for Germany’s grand coalition between Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc and the Social Democrats has fallen to an all-time low, Bild am Sonntag reports.
The ruling Christian Democrats and their Bavarian counterparts, the Christian Social Union, had their approval rating fall one percentage points to 29 percent while support for the Social Democrats dropped by two percentage points to 17 percent – a poll in the German paper reveals.
Both parties’ combined 46 percent marks a record low for the coalition.
But Merkel has suffered a series of political setbacks over migration and protests.
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Riots in Chemnitz, Eastern Germany, began after a man was stabbed to death, allegedly by two immigrants.
The poll is based on opinions of 2,472 German voters between August 30 and September 5.
They found support for the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party remained unchanged at 15 percent.
Far-left party Die Linke saw a boost of 1 percentage point, polling at 10 percent.
Both parties’combined 46 percent marks a record low for the coalition (Image: GETTY)
Merkel has suffered a series of political setbacks over migration and protests (Image: GETTY)
Germany’s interior minister put pressure on Angela Merkel by describing the migrant crisis as the “mother of all political problems”.
In a shock warning, he said voters risked turning towards far-right parties if the government was not seen to be tackling the issue.
The hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has repeatedly railed against Mrs Merkel’s open-door immigration policy introduced in 2015.
Mr Seehofer said: “The migration issue is the mother of all political problems in this country. I have been saying this for three years.
The riots in Chemnitz, Eastern Germany, began after a man was stabbed to death (Image: GETTY)
“This is confirmed by many surveys – many people now associate their social concerns with the migration issue.”
But Angela Merkel shrugged off his outspoken remarks, telling the RTL broadcaster: “I say it differently.
“Migration presents us with challenges and here we have problems but also successes.”
