SPD Gains Momentum as Migration Debate Intensifies

The Social Democrats (SPD) gained three points in a poll after opposing a conservative-backed migration bill. The CDU/CSU held steady at 29%, while SPD rose to 18%, suggesting voters view them as a counterbalance to conservative strategies. Concerns about migration remain high in Germany.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) have experienced a three-point surge in popularity according to a recent YouGov opinion poll. This comes as the party decided not to support a contentious migration bill proposed by conservative forces and endorsed by a far-right party.

With less than three weeks until the federal election, the poll highlights the CDU/CSU bloc maintaining its dominant position at 29%. The SPD's rise to 18% indicates a potential shift as voters appear to lean on them as a counterbalance to the new CDU/CSU approach, according to YouGov data.

Meanwhile, perceptions of conservative leader Friedrich Merz have shifted, with half of voters suggesting he weakened defenses against the far-right, the poll reveals. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Greens each dropped a point, while the radical Left party made slight gains.