Federal Government: Warken defends Merz - "Room for improvement in poll ratings"
According to ZDF's "Politbarometer", the sympathy ratings for the Chancellor are at an all-time low. The head of the Chancellor's office is calling for patience and is explaining why reforms need to be implemented despite their unpopularity.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Chief of Staff, Nina Warken, has defended Merz and the federal government against criticism, while acknowledging room for improvement. Warken appeared on ZDF's "Morgenmagazin" amid low poll ratings for Merz, who currently stands at -1.9 on a scale of +5 to -5 in the latest ZDF "Politbarometer" survey.
She called for patience, saying that necessary reforms require courage and good communication, and that trust must be rebuilt. Warken also confirmed that the government will discuss major reforms to healthcare and pensions this autumn, which may involve "cuts" for citizens. The government will hold a cabinet retreat at Schloss Neuhardenberg in Brandenburg, where they will consult with external economic experts.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
