German govt falls short of expectations on economy, climate and transport – survey
Clean Energy Wire
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government is falling short of voter expectations, with most of the German population perceiving a deterioration in policy areas like climate, transport and the economy, according to a survey by market and social research institute Ipsos.
The greatest discrepancy between expectations at the start of the legislative term in June 2025 and the current perception is most pronounced when it comes to the economy. Merz made his promise to revive economic growth central to his election campaign. While 65 percent said that Germany’s position as a business location has been weakened, only ten percent believe it has been strengthened – thirty-two percentage points lower than expectations at the start of the government's term in mid-2025.
About half of the surveyed citizens perceived setbacks when it comes to the expansion and modernisation of transport infrastructure, with only twelve percent seeing progress, 25 percentage points lower than expectations a year earlier. Impressions of climate protection are particularly negative, with 46 percent saying that there have been setbacks and an additional 40 percent saying nothing has changed under Merz’s tenure. The only area where an improvement has been seen is in the German army’s “operational readiness,” which still falls 21 percentage points lower than expectations in June 2025.
Energy policy has been seen as a particular weak point in Merz’s first year as chancellor. NGO Germanwatch said he had broadly managed to defend Germany’s climate targets, but failed to rein in the “increasingly destructive” energy policy pursued by energy minister Katherina Reiche. Spending from Germany’s 500-billion-euro special fund for infrastructure and climate neutrality has lagged behind government targets, with transport infrastructure showing the lowest levels of progress and impact indicators.