Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
- Death Penalty
- Economy and Globalization
- Environment
- European Union
- George W. Bush
- Global Warming
- Gordon Brown
- Hamas
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq War
- Kevin Rudd
- Latin America
- New Zealand Election 2008
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- North Korea
- Oil and Gas
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Silvio Berlusconi
- Stem Cell Research
- Stephen Harper
- Terrorism
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Republicans
- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
- Yasuo Fukuda
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Boost For Christian Democrats In Germany
(CPOD) Nov. 18, 2004 - The coalition of the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) extended its advantage in Germany, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 40 per cent of respondents would vote for the alliance in the next election to the Federal Diet.
The ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is in second place with 31 per cent, followed by the Green Party (Grune), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS).
In May, the CDU-CSU coalition held a 19 per cent advantage over the ruling SPD. The lead shrunk to five per cent in late October, and now stands at nine per cent. The alliance has quarrelled over which candidate should challenge Schroeder in the next parliamentary ballot, tentatively scheduled for September 2006.
On Nov. 15, the CDU-CSU coalition presented its health care plan. Funding for one of the world's costliest medical systems is expected to become a key issue in the next election. The coalition's proposal—which was developed after a year of sometimes dividing negotiations between CDU leader Angela Merkel and CSU head Edmund Stoiber—calls for monthly standard contributions of $141 U.S. per person, while allowing low wage-earners to pay no more than seven per cent of their income.
Polling Data
What party would you support in Germany's next federal election?
Nov. 12 | Oct. 29 | |
Christian-Democratic Union | 40% | 38% |
Social Democratic Party (SPD) | 31% | 33% |
Green Party (Grune) | 11% | 11% |
Free Democratic Party (FDP) | 8% | 8% |
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) | 5% | 5% |
Source: Forsa / Stern / RTL
Methodology: Interviews to 2,499 German adults, conducted from Nov. 8 to Nov. 12, 2004. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.