German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has acknowledged that his party cannot be satisfied with its current opinion poll results and admitted that he personally finds the criticism directed at him discouraging.

Axar.az reports, citing foreign media, that Merz made the remarks at a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) election campaign event in Langenhagen, near Hanover.

“Of course, we are dissatisfied with the poll results. Of course, I am personally depressed by the extent of the criticism,” he said.

It should be noted that the ruling CDU/CSU bloc has fallen behind the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the latest party ratings.