{
  "id": 16185879,
  "title": "ZDF Politbarometer: Union at 23 percent and AfD at 26: Distance between parties is decreasing according to survey",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/zdf-politbarometer-union-bei-23-prozent-und-afd-bei-26-abstand",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-23T11:39:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/zdf-politbarometer-abstand-zwischen-afd-und-union-wird-laut-umfrage-kleiner/100264518.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "The most recent ZDF-Politbarometer survey reveals that the Union has gained two percentage points to 23%, while the AfD has dropped to 26%, reducing the gap between the parties. Under a Sunday Bundestag election, the AfD would stand at 26% and the Union at 23%, according to the research group for elections. The SPD would have a slight increase at 14%, up one point from its previous standing. The Greens would see a two-point decline to 13%, while the Left would fall to 11%. The FDP would continue to fail to enter parliament with 3%. Together, all other parties would account for 10% plus two, with no party achieving at least three percent. The current coalition government's majority would still not be larger than the current gap between the AfD and CDU/CSU. A survey published on Thursday by the Institute for Demoskopie Allensbach for the \"Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung\" showed a similar reduction in the AfD's lead over the Union. Previous surveys by other institutes had shown a larger gap. The \"Politbarometer\" from Friday also indicates that the majority of pensioners, 63%, want to retain the status quo. Only 21% support the idea, and nearly three-quarters (74%) of respondents are against abolishing the flat-rate pension after 45 years of contributions.",
  "summary": "In previous surveys by other institutes, the distance between the AfD and the Union was larger. According to the survey, the current black-red government coalition would still not have a majority.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}