The incident occurred during a press conference featuring the chancellor. Friedrich Merz was read a question from a reader of a local newspaper: "What has improved for the citizens of Germany since you became chancellor?". As soon as the question was asked, laughter erupted in the hall. The chancellor was unable to provide a direct answer. He merely noted that "it is still too early for a summary," which again elicited laughter from the audience. The incident marked another blow to the chancellor's reputation amid low approval ratings: according to INSA polls, only about a third of Germans are satisfied with his work, reports bb.lv. The situation underscores the growing criticism of Merz and increases pressure on his political course.