(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Germany’s Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) could form a government with the support of the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) later this year, according to a poll by FG Wahlen released by ZDF. 39 per cent of respondents would vote for either the CDU or the CSU in the next federal election.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Germany’s Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) could form a government with the support of the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) later this year, according to a poll by FG Wahlen released by ZDF. 39 per cent of respondents would vote for either the CDU or the CSU in the next federal election.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 26 per cent, followed by the FDP with 11 per cent, the Left Party (Linke) with 10 per cent, and the Green Party (Grune) with nine per cent. Together, the CDU, CSU and FDP garner the support of 50 per cent of respondents.
Official results from the September 2005 election to the Federal Diet gave the CDU and the CSU 226 seats, with the SPD a close second with 222 legislators. Neither of the two main parties was able to assemble a coalition government with their preferred partners. In November 2005, CDU leader Angela Merkel was sworn in as Germany’s first female head of government. The current administration includes members of the CDU, CSU and SPD.
In September 2008, SPD leader Kurt Beck tendered his resignation. The party chose transport, building and urban affairs minister Franz Muentefering to replace Beck, and picked Frank-Walter Steinmeier to run against Merkel in the next federal election. Steinmeier has been Germany’s foreign minister since November 2005, and also serves as Germany’s vice-chancellor.
On Dec. 27, Steinmeier commented on his party’s chances, saying, "We in the SPD would like to be in a red-green [SDP-Green] coalition at the federal level, but we also think a ‘traffic light’ combination with the FDP is a potential way to govern the country well. This time, [FDP leader] Guido Westerwelle will have to lead his party in government after the election."
Germany’s next federal ballot is tentatively scheduled for September 2009.
Polling Data
What party would you vote for in the next federal election?
|
Dec. 11 |
Nov. 20 |
Oct. 9 |
|
|
Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) / |
39% |
39% |
38% |
|
Social Democratic Party (SPD) |
26% |
25% |
25% |
|
Free Democratic Party (FDP) |
11% |
11% |
11% |
|
Left Party (Linke) |
10% |
10% |
12% |
|
Green Party (Grune) |
9% |
10% |
8% |
Source: FG Wahlen / ZDF
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,268 German adults, conducted from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11, 2008. Margin of error is 2.7 per cent.
