Scholz (SPD): Survey clap for new chancellors and traffic lights

Olaf Scholz takes over as Federal Chancellor in Germany. In a survey, the new head of government and the traffic light from the SPD, Greens and FDP are not given much time.

Munich / Berlin – Olaf Scholz (SPD) takes over from Angela Merkel (CDU). The social democrat is the 9th Federal Chancellor of Germany. On this Wednesday (December 8th), Lower Saxony was first elected with 395 votes in favor in the German Bundestag and then appointed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. According to the coalition agreement of the Ampel government made up of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, the 63-year-old is now tackling ambitious goals. But will he also achieve this?

Olaf Scholz (SPD): Umfrage-Watschn ‘about the new Federal Chancellor of Germany

A striking poll was made public just minutes after he was sworn in. Almost two thirds of the people in Germany do not believe that Olaf Scholz will remain Federal Chancellor for more than four years. According to a poll by the polling institute YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency (dpa) In contrast, 20 percent of those surveyed expect the traffic light government of the SPD, Greens and FDP, led by the SPD politician, to break up before the next federal election in 2025. Another 44 percent of those surveyed assume that Scholz will remain in office for four years, but will not be re-elected. Only 16 percent expect a second term. And just 1.3 percent of those surveyed trust Scholz to remain in office for as long as his predecessor Angela Merkel (CDU): 16 years.

Scholz is of course more optimistic about his future as head of government. The former governing mayor of Hamburg had stated several times that he saw the traffic light government as a long-term project beyond this electoral term. The coalition is coming “to work together in a friendly way and to be re-elected,” he said last Saturday at the SPD party congress at which the delegates approved the coalition agreement.

He also promised to tackle the upcoming challenges with courage: “Germany can take a new start,” he said. Apparently, the population does not expect such a departure. At least that is what the survey by YouGov.

Not even a quarter of the people in Germany (22 percent) expect major changes from the new government. 51 percent of those surveyed believe that the traffic light will change little. 16 percent do not expect any changes at all. 11 percent do not provide any information.

New Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD): Survey views the success of the traffic light government with skepticism

A clear majority of people in Germany (55 percent) are satisfied with the work of the outgoing Chancellor Merkel over the past 16 years. Only 38 percent are dissatisfied in the survey. 7 percent did not provide any information. Meanwhile, work begins for Scholz and his colleagues around the future ministers Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck (The Greens) and Christian Lindner (FDP). (pm / with dpa)