May 30, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Germany's ruling coalition is still the most powerful political force in the country, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 37 per cent of respondents would vote for the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet, up one point since early May.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Germany's ruling coalition is still the most powerful political force in the country, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 37 per cent of respondents would vote for the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet, up one point since early May.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 30 per cent, followed by the Green Party (Grune) with 11 per cent, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with nine per cent, and the Left Party (Linke) also 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.

Each European Union (EU) member state presides over the Council of the EU for a period of six months, in accordance with a pre-established rotation. In January, Germany took over these responsibilities from Finland. Germany is also chair of the G-8 group of industrialized countries.

Last week, Merkel told the Federal Diet she will try to push for all G-8 members to help curb global warming in the upcoming summit, saying: "I say to you openly that I don't know today if we will succeed in Heiligendamm. But there is no question that the leading industrial nations must make progress on this issue or we won't be able to combat climate change."

Polling Data

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

	May 15	May 10	May 2
Christian-Democratic Union Bavarian Christian-Social (CDU-CSU)	37%	36%	37%
Social Democratic Party (SPD)	30%	31%	31%
Green Party (Grune)	11%	11%	11%
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	9%	10%	10%
Left Party (Linke)	9%	8%	8%

Source: Infratest-Dimap
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,500 German voters, conducted on May 14 and May 15, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.