(CPOD) Nov. 8, 2004 - The coalition of the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) holds a smaller lead in Germany, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 38 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 33 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 has shrunk to five per cent in the latest survey. The alliance has quarrelled over which candidate should challenge Schroeder in the next parliamentary ballot, tentatively scheduled for September 2006.

In an interview published in late July, current Bavarian premier Edmund Stoiber—who commanded the CDU-CSU coalition in the 2002 election to the Federal Diet—originally indicated that he would not challenge current leader Angela Merkel. Germany has never had a female head of government.

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