Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ruled out resigning amid falling approval ratings and disagreements within the ruling coalition. The politician stated this in an interview with the Financial Times.
 They’re going to have to carry him out on a stretcher.
"The main question is whether this government is capable of carrying out fundamental reforms to our social security system. I am firmly committed to doing so," Merz noted.
According to the Financial Times, Merz's approval rating has fallen to a record low. His reform plans are at odds with his junior partner in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The chancellor is also facing criticism within his Christian Democratic Union (CDU), following the party's defeat in elections in two eastern German states last month.
After taking office in May 2025, Merz eased restrictions on government borrowing to launch a large-scale investment program in infrastructure and defense. However, as the Financial Times notes, Germany's economy remains weak, and manufacturing continues to lose jobs.
As Bild reported on October 3, support for the CDU/CSU bloc under Merz's leadership fell to a historic low of 18%. Meanwhile, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party showed growth and took the lead for the first time with 30% of the vote.
On October 2, Germans booed German Chancellor and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a ceremony in Münster. The politicians came out onto the balcony to address the crowd after the ceremony, where Merz presented Rutte with an award for his "contribution to peace." Those present began loudly whistling and shouting words of disapproval.
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