In the lead-up to the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia, the AfD is emerging as a strong competitor to the Union.

However, on a national level, the Union maintains a significant lead, according to the RTL/ntv trend barometer.

Following a recent knife attack in Solingen, the Union has seen a rise in voter support, with CDU/CSU polling at 31.5% if federal elections were held today, as per an Insa survey.

This marks a one-point increase from the previous week.

The survey also indicates a slight gain for the Greens, who are now at 11.5%.

Meanwhile, the FDP has improved slightly to 5.5%, while both the SPD and AfD have seen a minor decline in support, now at 15% and 18.5% respectively.

The Union's perceived competence in security and counter-terrorism is believed to be a key factor in their growing popularity.