Merkel Asks For Forgiveness From Citizens As CDU Support Tumbles

In a statement, Chancellor Angela Merkel says that the plans for a 5-day lockdown over Easter to combat rising COVID-19 cases was abandoned due to it not being implementable. She added that the decisions around the lockdown were hers alone and asked for the forgiveness of German citizens for the uncertainty caused.

• The comment comes as opinion polls show support for Merkel's centre-right Christian Democratic Union tumbling in the wake of a slow vaccine rollout, rising cases, and extended COVID-19 restrictions.
• Allensbach federal election poll: CDU-CSU: 28.5% (-8.5), Green: 21.5% (+1.5), SPD: 18% (+3), AfD: 10% (+0.5), Die Linke: 8.5% (+1.5), FDP: 8.5% (+1.5). Fieldwork 08-21/03/21. 1,006 respondents. Chgs w/ 04-17/02/21.
• Forsa federal election poll: CDU-CSU: 26% (-3), Green: 22% (+1), SPD: 16%, FDP: 10% (+2), AfD: 10%, Die Linke: 8%. Fieldwork 22/03/21. 2,511 respondents. Chgs w/9-15/03/21.
• Insa federal election poll: CDU-CSU: 28% (-1.5), Green: 20% (+3), SPD: 18% (+1), AfD: 11% (-0.5), FDP: 10.5%, Die Linke: 7% (-1). Fieldwork 19-22/03/21. 3,104 respondents. Chgs w/ 12-15/03/21.
• The declining support for the CDU has raised the prospect that the CDU could be locked out of the next federal gov't. Previously, the overwhelming likelihood had been of a CDU coalition with the Greens an potentially the pro-business FDP in a 'Jamaica coalition'.
• However, the slump for the CDU has raised the prospect of a centre-left 'traffic light' coalition of the Greens, FDP, and Social Democrats (SPD) coming to power at the federal level, marking a definitive end to the Merkel era of CDU dominance.