Survey shock for Scholz: Germans want to replace their Chancellor

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Things are not looking good for Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65): A large majority of Germans would like Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (63) to become Chancellor instead of Scholz.

This is the result of a representative study published on Monday by the Insa Institute for the newspaper ‘Bild’. According to this survey, almost two-thirds (64.3 percent) are in favor of Scholz handing over the chancellery to his fellow party members. Only 24.6 percent are against it, 11.2 percent have not provided any information.

Scholz would have no chance in direct elections

Even the SPD supporters, to which Scholz belongs, are in favor of a change of office from Scholz to Pistorius before the next federal elections, with a narrow majority of 47.9 to 47.1 percent. The SPD would also benefit from Pistorius’ popularity in the Sunday issue: with Scholz as candidate for chancellor – without knowing the opposing candidate – 19 percent would currently vote for the SPD, while Pistorius would be 23 percent.

According to the survey, in a direct election as chancellor between CDU leader Friedrich Merz (68) and Scholz, Merz would come first with 26 to 23 percent. Pistorius, on the other hand, could beat Merz by 25 to 23 percent, according to the survey.

In a direct election between Scholz and CSU leader Markus Söder (57), Söder would clearly win – by 36 to 20 percent. Pistorius would also be behind in a duel with Söder, by 25 to 34 percent, but with a smaller margin. Insa interviewed 1,004 people for the study on January 4 and 5.

“For me this is not a stepping stone”

“The result is not surprising if you look at the ranking of politicians,” says Insa boss Hermann Binkert. Pistorius was number one there from the day he took office, about a year ago. It is striking that his popularity is high among voters of all parties, from the left to the AfD. Binkert emphasized: “There is therefore a fundamental sympathy for Pistorius.” The situation with Olaf Scholz is now completely different.

Pistorius has been Defense Minister since January last year; previously he was Minister of the Interior in Lower Saxony. The 63-year-old told ‘Stern’ magazine in December that he would no longer seek another position than his current one: “For me this is not a springboard to higher tasks.”

However, it is unlikely that there will actually be a change of power in Germany. “No current chancellor has so far been willing to give up the chancellorship or candidacy for chancellor. In politics it is often not about who is the most popular or has the greatest opportunities. “It’s about who has the upper hand,” former government spokesperson Béla Anda (60) explains to “Bild”. (AFP/jmh)

Source: Blick