(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two right-leaning parties in Germany’s governing coalition retain most of the country’s political clout, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 39 per cent of respondents would support either the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) or the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet, unchanged since mid-December.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 30 per cent, followed by the Left Party (Linke), the Green Party (Grune), and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) all with nine per cent.

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.

Earlier this month, Germany banned online gambling after an accord between the federal government and the states protected the existing state monopoly for most forms of betting and lotteries. European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) secretary-general Sigrid Ligne expressed disappointment, saying, "The German Interstate Treaty is incompatible with European Union (EU) law, and its adoption has left us with no other choice but to make a formal complaint to the European Commission. We urge the Commission now to fast-track our complaint and launch infringement proceedings against Germany."

Polling Data

What party would you vote for in the next federal election?

Source: Infratest-Dimap
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 German voters, conducted on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

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