(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The Christian-Democratic Union (CSU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) could form the next government in Germany, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 46 per cent of respondents would vote for the coalition in the next federal election.

The governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is second with 28 per cent, followed by the Green Party (Grune) with eight per cent, the coalition of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and the Electoral Alternative for Labour and Social Justice (WASG) with eight per cent, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with seven per cent.

On May 22, the Christian Democrats won the election in North Rhine-Westphalia with 44.8 per cent of the vote. The Social Democrats had been involved in the government of Germany's most populous state since 1966. While the next parliamentary ballot was tentatively scheduled for September 2006, Schroeder has openly suggested holding an early federal election. A confidence vote is expected before the end of the legislative period on Jul. 1. There is growing speculation that the ballot could be scheduled for Sept. 18.

On May 30, the CDU officially named current leader Angela Merkel as its chancellor candidate. For the past six months, voting intention polls have consistently placed the Christian Democrats in first place. Schroeder's government has been affected by Germany's highest jobless ratio since the 1930s. The country's unemployment rate was 11.8 per cent in March, meaning 4.8 million adults are looking for work.

On Jun. 17, the European Union (EU) summit ended without a satisfactory agreement on the continental group's seven-year budget. On Jun. 21, Schroeder complained about the situation, saying, "We have been able to overcome the forms of nationalism that brought our continent so much suffering. Those who want to destroy this model due to national egotism or populist motives do a terrible disservice to the desires and rights of the next generation."

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