Germany's conservative CDU/CSU alliance has dropped to just 28% in a new poll, just 19 days before the country votes in one of the most important elections in recent memory. Meanwhile, the formerly influential Free Democrats are fighting for political survival,

Support for Germany's conservative CDU/CSU alliance has dropped to 28% ahead of elections on February 23, a poll showed on Tuesday, days after it cooperated with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to pass a motion in parliament.

Less than three weeks before federal elections, the Forsa poll for RTL/ntv also showed support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) holding steady at 16%. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was unchanged at 20%.

Protesters in Berlin gathered outside CDU headquarters.Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Germany on Thursday to protest the conservative Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union parties.