German conservatives at record low in latest poll, climate tops list of concerns
ARD / DW
Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance of current chancellor Angela Merkel has reached a record low in the well-known Deutschlandtrend survey by infratest dimap, commissioned by public broadcaster ARD. CDU/CSU stand at 20 percent of voter support, while the Social Democrats (SPD) lead the poll with 25 percent, and the Greens fell to 16 percent. Environment and climate policy topped the list of most important issues respondents see in Germany. If Germans could elect the country’s next chancellor directly, 43 percent would choose SPD candidate Olaf Scholz. He is trailed by conservative Armin Laschet (16%) and the Greens’ Annalena Baerbock (12%).
Embattled CDU candidate Laschet today (3 September) presented his future policy team to help turn around the drop in polls, including climate and energy policy politician Andreas Jung, reported Deutsche Welle.
Having entered the final four weeks, the German election race is wide open as the Social Democrats have caught up with the conservatives in the polls, with the Greens trailing slightly behind. This could mean difficult and long coalition negotiations to form a new government after the vote on 26 September.