Germans advise the CDU ahead of the party conference: Dare more Merkel! - CDU voters push for centrist revival as Merkel's shadow looms over party conference
A new Forsa poll for Stern suggests the CDU would fare better with a centrist approach in the style of Angela Merkel than with the more conservative direction championed by Friedrich Merz.
For the first time since leaving office, former Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend a CDU party conference this Friday. While she is not scheduled to speak, her presence effectively compels her successor, Friedrich Merz, to address her legacy in his own speech. Observers will be watching closely to see whether he merely greets his predecessor or also acknowledges her achievements. Currently, the CDU is polling far below the levels it enjoyed during Merkel's tenure.
Angela Merkel Still Leads in the Polls
The German public's verdict is clear: the CDU would perform better in elections with a centrist course like the one pursued under Angela Merkel. According to a Forsa survey for Stern, 54 percent of citizens hold this view, while 32 percent believe the party could gain votes with a more conservative approach under current leader Friedrich Merz. Fourteen percent did not express an opinion.
Among current CDU/CSU voters, 60 percent back Merz's direction, while only 34 percent favor a return to Merkel's centrist path. The picture is different among those who have turned away from the Union since the last federal election: just 38 percent of this group think a more conservative course would win votes, compared to 50 percent who believe a centrist orientation would be more successful.
While voters for left-wing parties overwhelmingly prefer a Merkel-style approach, AfD supporters are divided: 38 percent see a more conservative CDU as the better option, but a notable 33 percent still favor a centrist course.
The survey also reveals stark gender differences: 61 percent of women advocate for a Merkel-style approach, compared to just 40 percent of men. Meanwhile, 46 percent of men support Merz's conservative direction, versus only 24 percent of women. Younger generations are particularly strong advocates for centrist policies, with 68 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds and 63 percent of 30- to 44-year-olds favoring this approach.
The data was collected by the market and opinion research institute Forsa for Stern and RTL Germany on February 12 and 13, 2026. The survey is based on 1,001 respondents, with a statistical margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points, making it representative.
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