AfD Renews Its Record and Widens Its Lead Over Merz's Party

Support for the 'Alternative for Germany' party reached a record high in the monthly ARD-DeutschlandTrend poll. According to the results of the Infratest dimap survey, 28% of German voters are ready to vote for the AfD.

Over the past month, the party's rating rose by one percentage point. The CDU/CSU bloc, represented by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, lost one point and gained 21% support.

Thus, the AfD's lead over the conservative bloc increased to seven percentage points. In the July poll, the party had 27%, and the CDU/CSU had 22%.

As recently as early 2026, the conservatives were ahead of the AfD. In a January survey, the CDU/CSU was supported by 28% of respondents, and the 'Alternative for Germany' by 25%. In May, the AfD took first place for the first time in the ARD-DeutschlandTrend and has held the lead ever since.

The survey also revealed a high level of concern among Germans about security issues. 69% of respondents see the danger of Islamist attacks as great, right-wing extremist violence is a concern for 56%, and left-wing extremist violence for 50%.

More than half of the respondents – 51% – fear theft in public places. Verbal assaults are feared by 49%, and physical violence by 35% of those surveyed.

The extension of border controls was supported by 71% of respondents. At the same time, 59% favored a pan-European solution for migration issues. More than half of those surveyed stated that Germany needs fundamental political changes.

The survey involved 1,297 eligible voters living in Germany. The poll results reflect public sentiment at the time of the survey and are not a forecast of future election outcomes.

Based on materials from: Tagesschau, Welt