June 02, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two conservative parties continue to draw high public support in Germany, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 36 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, down one point since late April.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two conservative parties continue to draw high public support in Germany, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 36 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, down one point since late April.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 25 per cent, followed by the Left Party (Linke) with 12 per cent, the Green Party (Grune) also with 12 per cent, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with 11 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.

In Germany, the federal president is elected to a five-year term by the Federal Convention, a body that encompasses the Federal Diet as well as delegates from the country’s 16 states. German voters do not choose the federal president through a direct election.

On May 26, SPD leader Kurt Beck announced that the party has nominated its own presidential candidate for the 2009 ballot. Political scientist Gesine Schwan would challenge incumbent Horst Koehler, a conservative backed by the CDU who has held the position since 2004. The decision was seen as yet another sign of growing differences within the governing coalition.

Merkel reacted to the announcement, saying that Germany "can be happy" that Koehler will stand for re-election, and adding, "So it is all the more regrettable—and only to be explained by the internal state of the SPD—that it has decided on its own candidacy."

Germany’s next federal ballot is tentatively scheduled for September 2009. The indirect presidential election will take place on May 23, 2009.

Polling Data

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

	May 14	Apr. 30	Apr. 2
Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) / Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU)	36%	37%	37%
Social Democratic Party (SPD)	25%	27%	26%
Left Party (Linke)	12%	12%	12%
Green Party (Grune)	12%	10%	11%
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	11%	10%	10%

Source: Infratest-Dimap
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,500 German voters, conducted on May 13 and May 14, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.