(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The Christian-Democratic Union (CSU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) hold the upper hand in Germany's federal political scene, according to a poll by TNS Infratest published in Der Spiegel. 47 per cent of respondents would vote for the coalition in the next election.

The governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) of chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is second with 29 per cent, followed by the Green Party (Grune) with eight per cent, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with six per cent, and the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) with five per cent.

The Greens are currently the SPD's coalition partner in the federal administration. Both parties have a combined support of 37 per cent, 16 per cent less than a prospective alliance between the Christian Democrats and the Free Democrats. The federal government has been affected by Germany's highest jobless ratio since the 1930s. The country's unemployment rate was 11.8 per cent in March, meaning 4.8 million adults are looking for work.

On May 22, the Christian Democrats won the election in North Rhine-Westphalia with 44.8 per cent of the vote. The Social Democrats had been involved in the government of Germany's most populous state since 1966. While the next parliamentary ballot was tentatively scheduled for September 2006, Schroeder has openly suggested holding an early federal election. A confidence vote is expected before the end of the legislative period on Jul. 1.

In February 2004, CDU leader Angela Merkel caused a row when she suggested that the European Union (EU) should consider granting Turkey only a "privileged partnership" as opposed to full membership.

On May 26, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed any concern over a possible election victory for Germany's Christian Democrats, saying, "Turkey's relations are not with parties but with states. Words spoken in opposition are not always the same as what is done when one comes to power."

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