CDU/CSU narrows gap to AfD in new Insa poll, SPD and Greens lose ground
The CDU/CSU alliance picked up one point in the latest Insa Sunday trend, cutting the AfD's lead to six percentage points, while both SPD and the Greens fell back.
Right-wing lead narrows
The far-right Alternative für Deutschland remains the strongest party in the latest Insa Sunday trend, published on 11 July 2026, but its lead over the centre-right CDU/CSU has narrowed. The AfD stands at 28 percent, down one point compared to the previous week. The Union alliance of CDU and CSU gained one point to reach 22 percent. The gap between the two largest parties is now six percentage points, the smallest margin in recent weeks.
Im Insa-Sonntagstrend zeigt sich die Union im Vergleich zur AfD leicht verbessert. Die Zustimmungswerte für Kanzler Merz und die gesamte Regierung verharren jedoch auf sehr niedrigem Niveau.
Coalition partners slide
The ruling Social Democrats lost one point and would receive only 12 percent of the vote if a federal election were held this Sunday. The Greens, junior partners in the previous government, also fell by one point to 12 percent. Die Linke rose by one point to 11 percent, placing it nearly level with SPD and the Greens. The combined vote share of the current black-red coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD stands at just 34 percent, far short of a parliamentary majority.
- CDU/CSU
- 22 %
- AfD
- 28 %
- SPD
- 12 %
- Grüne
- 12 %
- Linke
- 11 %
- BSW
- 4 %
- FDP
- 4 %
- Sonstige
- 7 %
Reform efforts do not yet shift sentiment
The federal government had recently presented a more united front and advanced several reform projects, including savings plans for statutory health insurance and a new heating law. Despite these moves, the poll numbers suggest the electorate has not yet rewarded the government. The Berliner Zeitung noted that the SPD has not polled this low in an Insa survey since April.
Small parties and polling details
The business-friendly FDP and the populist BSW both remained unchanged at 4 percent, below the threshold to enter the Bundestag. Smaller parties collectively gained one point to reach 7 percent. The Insa institute surveyed 1,204 eligible voters between 6 and 10 July on behalf of Bild am Sonntag. The statistical margin of error is given as plus/minus 2.9 percentage points. Pollsters caution that weakening party ties and increasingly last-minute voting decisions make weighting the data more difficult, and that surveys reflect only the mood at the time of questioning, not a forecast of the actual election outcome.
