Credit:UN/DPI Photo by Manfred Grohe

Gerhard Schroeder

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - If they could pick their head of government in a direct election, a plurality of Germans would back current chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 41 per cent of respondents would vote for Schroeder in a head-to-head contest against Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel.

In recent weeks, Schroeder's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has been dropping in voting intention polls, while the coalition of the CSU and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) has extended its lead as the top political group in Germany. Schroeder has headed the federal administration since October 1998.

The Green Party (Grune) is currently the SPD's coalition partner. A prospective alliance of the CDU, CSU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) might garner enough support to form the government after the next parliamentary election, tentatively scheduled for September 2006.

Germany has never had a female head of government. In a contest pitting Schroeder and Lower Saxony premier Christian Wulff, the current chancellor holds a four per cent advantage.

Polling Data

If you could directly elect the chancellor, who would you vote for?
(Option 1)

If you could directly elect the chancellor, who would you vote for?
(Option 2)

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