(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The Christian-Democratic Union (CSU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) are holding on to first place in German politics, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 42 per cent of respondents would vote for the alliance in the election to the Federal Diet.

The governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is second with 28 per cent, followed by the Left Party (Linke)—which merges the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and the Electoral Alternative for Labour and Social Justice (WASG)—with 12 per cent, the Green Party (Grune) with eight per cent, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with seven per cent.

On Jul. 1, Schroeder deliberately lost a no-confidence motion in the Federal Diet after a 151-296 vote, with 148 abstentions. In a Jul. 21 televised address, German president Horst Koehler agreed to hold an early ballot, saying, "In this serious situation, our country needs a government that can pursue its goals with steadiness and vigour. For this, the federal government requires the support of a reliable majority that is able to function."

The election is scheduled for Sept. 18. The CDU has named Angela Merkel as its chancellor candidate. Germany has never had a female head of government.

Yesterday, Schroeder criticized the CDU's proposal to raise the value added tax from 16 to 18 per cent, saying, "We don't have to do it, because we haven't done so in the past. We made changes right across the tax system. They were effective for companies and for household budgets as well."

Merkel said her party intends to follow through on the value added tax pledge, declaring, "We have to take the difficult route because we have to achieve our goal to make way for employment. We have to reduce work-related costs and we will do so in this way."

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