BERLIN, September 9. /TASS/. Support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is surging in Germany’s eastern states, reaching 45% and putting it 30 percentage points ahead of its nearest rival, The Left, at 15%, according to a survey by polling institute Forsa commissioned by RTL and NTV.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, is backed by just 12% of respondents in eastern Germany. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens each receive 9% support, while the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) stands at 5%.

Merz’s approval ratings are also particularly low in the east: only 7% of respondents say they are satisfied with his performance, while 91% express dissatisfaction.

The survey was conducted from September 1 to 7 among 2,502 respondents.