Public opinion polls in Germany have revealed that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party continues its rise. According to the latest poll published by the public opinion research firm Insa, the AfD remains the strongest political party in the country with 29 percent of the vote, while the Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) have fallen to second place with 21 percent. Thus, the gap between the two parties has widened to 8 points.

AfD Holds Lead, CDU/CSU Slips

According to the latest poll results, the AfD has maintained its lead in the political arena by preserving its vote share. The CDU/CSU, on the other hand, experienced a one-point drop, falling to 21 percent. Experts point out that the widening gap between the two parties could reshape the balance in German politics.

SPD and Greens at the Same Level

According to the poll data, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) increased its vote share by one point to 13 percent, reaching the same level as the Greens. The Greens' vote share was measured at 13 percent, while the Left Party (Die Linke) remained at 10 percent.

Meanwhile, the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) increased its vote by one point to 4 percent, while the Free Democratic Party (FDP) also remained at 4 percent. Both parties are currently below the threshold to enter the Bundestag with their current results. The total vote share for other parties was recorded at 6 percent.

AfD Congress Held Amid Protests

The poll results were announced concurrently with the AfD's party congress held in the city of Erfurt. At the congress, co-chairs Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel were re-elected for another two-year term with the support of the delegates.

The congress also witnessed large-scale protests with the participation of tens of thousands of people. Demonstrators protested the AfD's policies and voiced their opposition to the party.

German Public Divided on Banning AfD

A separate study conducted by Insa also showed that German society is divided on the issue of banning the AfD.

According to the study, of the participants:

  • 40 percent support initiating a ban process against the AfD.
  • 45 percent oppose such an initiative.
  • 15 percent did not express an opinion on the matter.

"Firewall" Policy Also Debated

The study also measured public opinion on the "firewall" (Brandmauer) policy, by which the CDU/CSU and SPD refuse coalition or political cooperation with the AfD.

42 percent of participants found this approach correct, while 39 percent stated they thought it was incorrect. 19 percent remained undecided or did not answer the question.

The latest polls indicate that political balances in Germany continue to shift, and while the AfD maintains public support, the party's potential ban and the isolation policy implemented by other parties continue to be debated in society.