German Chancellor Friedrich Merz used his second annual summer press conference on Wednesday to project confidence in his government's direction, despite record-low approval ratings. Speaking to roughly 200 journalists in Berlin, Merz characterized his coalition government as having finally found its rhythm after a challenging first year. He pointed to recent legislative progress on pension and healthcare reforms as evidence that his administration is delivering on its promises, even as he acknowledged that the public remains largely dissatisfied with his leadership.
Recent polling data underscores the scale of the challenge facing the Chancellor. A survey by the Forsa institute indicates that 85 percent of Germans are currently unhappy with Merz's performance, while 82 percent express dissatisfaction with the broader coalition government. Despite these figures, Merz maintained a composed demeanor, framing the negative feedback as a motivation to continue his work rather than a sign of failure. He noted that his team is constantly reviewing their communication and policy strategies to better align with public expectations.
When pressed on his own political performance and potential mistakes, Merz adopted a pragmatic tone, describing himself as a "learning system" that improves daily. He avoided dwelling on past stumbles, instead focusing on the legislative agenda for the second half of the year, which includes upcoming reforms to the nursing care system and new labor regulations. The Chancellor also addressed the broader economic climate, acknowledging that high labor costs remain a structural problem that he is determined to tackle.
As the German parliament enters its summer recess, the government faces a critical period ahead of state elections in September. Merz signaled that he intends to make a decision regarding the candidate for the federal presidency early next year, once the composition of the federal assembly is clear. While the Chancellor remains optimistic about the coalition's ability to implement further reforms, the practical impact of these policies on public sentiment remains uncertain as voters continue to express deep skepticism toward the current administration.