April 05, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Germany’s conservatives continue to hold the highest level of support in the country, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 38 per cent of respondents would vote for the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) or the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Germany’s conservatives continue to hold the highest level of support in the country, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 38 per cent of respondents would vote for the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) or the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 23 per cent, followed by the Left Party (Linke) with 14 per cent, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with 11 per cent, and the Green Party (Grune) with 10 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.

The CDU and CSU have argued with the SPD over the minimum wage for the past year. While the conservative parties reject enacting a single minimum wage in the country, the Social Democrats have actively pushed for it. The government has agreed to invite different sectors to join an unofficial minimum wage arrangement that covers construction workers, cleaners, and letter carriers.

On Mar. 31, German labour minister and SPD member Olaf Scholz said seven more industries have sought inclusion in the agreement, calling it a "gigantic political success." CDU secretary-general Ronald Pofalla said that the fact that only seven sectors joined the agreement shows that the conservatives were right and that Germans do not want a national minimum wage, adding, "For months, the SPD asserted that the whole of Germany is demanding a minimum wage. Now it is becoming clear that this was one of the Social Democrats’ most fatal misjudgements in recent years."

Polling Data

What party would you support in Germany’s next federal election?

	Mar. 28	Mar. 20	Mar. 14
Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) / Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU)	38%	38%	37%
Social Democratic Party (SPD)	23%	22%	22%
Left Party (Linke)	14%	14%	14%
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	11%	11%	11%
Green Party (Grune)	10%	11%	11%

Source: Forsa / Stern / RTL
Methodology: Interviews with 2,001 German adults, conducted from Mar. 25 to Mar. 28, 2008. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.