Angela Merkel’s rebellious interior minister has failed to impress Germans with his hardline stance on migration, according to new polling likely to reinforce the chancellor’s position.
A survey of public opinion found that Horst Seehofer’s popularity has fallen by a net 16 points with the general public since he started agitating for tougher border controls.
Mr Seehofer’s approval rating has tanked to just 27 per cent, falling faster than Ms Merkel’s. The chancellor also appears to have been slightly damaged by the row, her approval falling 2 per cent to 48 per cent, according to the ARD/Infratest dimap poll.
The results are a blow for Mr Seehofer, who observers say had been taking a hardline stance on border control to shore up the popularity of his right-wing CSU party ahead of regional elections in Bavaria due in the autumn.
Read more: Germans unimpressed with Merkel’s rebellious anti-migrant minister Seehofer, poll shows