Senior CDU figures are reportedly discussing replacing Friedrich Merz with another chancellor candidate
Senior leaders within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) are reportedly discussing the possible ouster of Chancellor Friedrich Merz due to his low approval ratings, according to German media reports.
According to Bild, talks about the possibility “exchange” Merz for another chancellor position is reportedly emerging from within the party’s top ranks, including 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 offered by Bild, Focus, and Die Welt as Merz’s replacement. Many outlets have listed him as Germany’s third most popular politician and the CDU’s top figure, while Merz was recently named the world’s most unpopular political leader in a public opinion poll.
Eckart Lohse, head of the parliamentary editorial office at FAZ, wrote on Wednesday that even CDU members who do not openly oppose Merz now. “Think of a weak chancellor” and talk “a palpable sense of uneasiness.”
“Confidence in the strength of the federal government and its leader appears to have declined so much, even within its ranks, that the declining confidence is no longer hidden,” Lohse wrote.
Other outlets, including Bild and Focus, have described the reported talks about removing the chancellor as “gossip,” stressing that no concrete plans have emerged so far.
Since coming to power in May 2025, Merz has increased support for Ukraine and accelerated Germany’s rearmament. He has promised to make the Bundeswehr European “more power” regular army, citing what he describes as a growing Russian threat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied claims that Moscow is planning to attack NATO countries “stupidity,” accusing European leaders of using narrative to distract their citizens from domestic problems.
Merz has also called on Germans to work harder, describing the country’s welfare model as outdated and unsustainable. By mid-April, his disapproval rating had risen to 76%, with only 19% of Germans satisfied with his performance.
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