(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Germany’s conservative parties are holding on to the top spot in Germany’s political landscape, according to a poll by Forsa released by Stern and RTL. 40 per cent of respondents would back the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) or the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) in the next election to the Federal Diet, unchanged since early November.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is second with 24 per cent—down two points in two weeks—followed by the Left Party (Linke) with 12 per cent, the Green Party (Grune) with nine per cent, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) 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.

After Merkel received Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the chancellery this past September, China’s government has responded negatively by cancelling a series of meetings and accusing Germany of interfering with its internal issues. SPD members have since decided to oppose Merkel’s foreign policy, saying her stand is jeopardizing trade relations with both China and Russia.

On Nov. 21, Merkel reiterated her position on foreign affairs, which she has based on human rights and European values, saying, "I wish that everybody in the government will now close ranks on this position. If we don’t, then China’s respect for us will certainly not grow."

Polling Data

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

Source: Forsa / Stern / RTL
Methodology: Interviews with 2,501 German adults, conducted from Nov. 12 to Nov. 16, 2007. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.

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