February 06, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) continue to overshadow the performance of their junior partner in the ruling coalition, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 39 per cent of respondents would back the CDU or the CSU in the next election to the Federal Diet, while 30 per cent would vote for the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU) continue to overshadow the performance of their junior partner in the ruling coalition, according to a poll by Infratest-Dimap. 39 per cent of respondents would back the CDU or the CSU in the next election to the Federal Diet, while 30 per cent would vote for the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

The Left Party (Linke) is third with 10 per cent, followed by the Free Democratic Party (FDP) with nine per cent, and the Green Party (Grune) 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.

Last month, CDU member Roland Koch campaigned to be re-elected as governor of Hesse. During the race, he gave several talks with anti-immigration undertones, saying once: "We have too many criminal foreigners." In the Jan. 27 election, Koch lost his majority, but retained his post.

On Jan. 30, 17 conservative politicians—aligned with the CDU’s centrist faction—indirectly condemned Koch’s positions on immigration in a public letter, stating, "The Union [CDU and CSU] has to realize that Germany is de facto a country of immigration. (...) Integration is so fundamental to the future of our country that it cannot be allowed to be degraded to a campaign theme. (...) We have to realize that violence is not a problem of ethnicity, rather it is one of education."

Polling Data

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

	Jan. 23	Jan. 8	Dec. 13
Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) / Bavarian Christian-Social Party (CSU)	39%	39%	39%
Social Democratic Party (SPD)	30%	30%	28%
Left Party (Linke)	10%	9%	10%
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	9%	9%	10%
Green Party (Grune)	9%	9%	9%

Source: Infratest-Dimap
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 German voters, conducted on Jan. 22 and Jan. 23, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.