Poll: 48% of Germans Say Merkel Would Outperform Current Chancellor Merz

The finding is less about Merkel's own standing than about the depth of dissatisfaction with the sitting government: a plurality reaching for a retired predecessor is a signal of weak incumbent credibility, not a policy verdict. It matters most for Merz's room to manoeuvre on contentious domestic and European files, where perceived legitimacy shapes how far coalition partners and voters will follow. The open question is whether this sentiment is durable or a snapshot of a particular news cycle.