The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has recorded its highest approval rating to date, achieving 23.5 percent in a recent survey conducted by the Insa Institute.

This positions the AfD only 3.5 percentage points behind the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which stands at 27 percent.

According to Hermann Binkert, the head of Insa, a further breakdown shows that the CDU’s support is actually lower than the AfD's, with the party's alliance with Christian Social Union (CSU) accounting for approximately six percent of its total.

Thus, the CDU alone would hold around 21 percent support, indicating a decline from previous figures.

The survey suggests that the AfD has a maximum voter potential currently estimated at 30.5 percent.

Binkert indicated that this could lead to further gains for the party under the leadership of Alice Weidel, particularly if the current political climate remains unchanged.

In contrast, other parties have shown smaller fluctuations in support.

The Greens have improved by one percentage point to reach 12 percent, while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has decreased by one point, settling at 14.5 percent.

The Free Democratic Party (FDP) has gained slightly to 3.5 percent, while the new coalition led by Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) remains at 4.5 percent and is still struggling to surpass the five percent threshold to enter the Bundestag.

The Left Party has maintained a steady position at 10.5 percent.

Together, all other parties account for an aggregate of 4.5 percent.

Current coalition options appear limited; a potential coalition between the Union and SPD would account for only 41.5 percent, insufficient for a parliamentary majority.

Similarly, a coalition including SPD, Greens, and the Left Party would total 37 percent, also falling short.

However, scenarios featuring three-party alliances show more promise, such as a CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens coalition generating a combined 53.5 percent, or a coalition of CDU/CSU, SPD, and the Left Party at 52 percent.

Notably, a partnership between the Union and AfD, while theoretically providing a majority at 50.5 percent, is politically seen as unlikely.

A second survey saw the Union’s support decrease further, landing at 27 percent, which is a drop of one percentage point compared to prior polling data and 1.5 points behind the results from the last federal election.

The SPD similarly fell to 15 percent from the previous 16.4 percent reflected in that election.

The AfD gained one percentage point compared to its previous standing, achieving 23 percent, up from the 20.8 percent recorded in the last federal election.

As such, the current polling indicates a narrowing gap between Union and AfD, with only four percentage points separating the two parties compared to wider margins in previous assessments.

Analysts suggest that the AfD's rise in support can be attributed to disenchantment surrounding economic policies, particularly regarding recent agreements on budgetary matters between the Union and SPD.

The Green Party follows at fourth with a one-point increase to 12 percent, maintaining a focus on climate legislation.

The Left Party remains unchanged at 10 percent.

The BSW finds itself grasping for stability at five percent while FDP’s presence in the Bundestag is in peril at three percent.

All remaining parties currently aggregate to five percent.

The outcomes of the Insa survey demonstrate the shifting dynamics within the German political system, emphasizing the growing competitiveness of the AfD relative to traditional parties.