Pressure mounts on Germany’s Merz after fractious reshuffle

Pressure is intensifying on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after a cabinet reshuffle that sparked anger in his own ranks and put a spotlight on his government’s competence as it battles to fend off a far-right surge at state elections in September. His conservative lawmakers will vote on ​Wednesday to elect Merz’s pick of Thorsten Frei as their new parliamentary faction chief. While normally a formality, a tighter-than-expected vote ‌could put attention back on Merz after days of wrangling.

After a testing first year in office, Merz’s CDU/CSU bloc is trailing in the polls behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and faces the prospect of the AfD gaining power for the first time at state level in September. Frei will have a key role as a point person to coordinate ​with the centre-left Social Democrats, the junior ally in the ruling coalition, to push reforms Merz has promised to revive growth in Europe’s largest ​economy. Merz’s personal popularity is in the doldrums, according to a poll by broadcasting group RTL/ntv published on Tuesday, with ⁠only 15% of respondents satisfied with his performance, and only 49% of his own party’s supporters happy with him.

The AfD has also for the first ​time overtaken the conservatives on perceptions of competence and ability to solve Germany’s problems, the poll said. “The events of the past week have significantly damaged Merz’s ​standing within the CDU,” a member of the CDU federal executive board told Reuters. For his part, Merz predicted the storm would pass by September, when parliament reconvenes and his choice of new ministers is due to be sworn in.

“I assume that tempers will have cooled somewhat by September,” Merz said. His situation contrasts with that of his conservative predecessor ​and one-time political rival, Angela Merkel, who outshone her party in opinion polls during her 16 years as chancellor. AFD PULLS AHEAD The reshuffle was sparked by ​the abrupt resignation of party heavyweight Jens Spahn over a decision to have a child through surrogacy abroad after supporting a ban on the practice in Germany.

Merz picked ‌his chief ⁠of staff Frei to succeed Spahn, while making Health Minister Nina Warken chief of staff. Patrick Schnieder was sacked as Transport Minister, sparking anger from conservatives in his home state of Rhineland-Palatinate.