Candidate Southern maintains a substantial lead over Habeck, according to recent poll findings.
Germany's Chancellor Race: Söder Leads Head-to-Head Polls, According to Forsa Survey
BERLIN - In a hypothetical scenario where Germans could directly elect their Chancellor, CSU leader Markus Söder would currently be at the helm, as per a Forsa survey. Funded and conducted between September 14th and 19th, 2020, the survey reveals Söder leading the pack with 36% of votes, while Green Party leader Robert Habeck gained two percentage points, placing him at 19%. Chancellor hopeful for the SPD, Olaf Scholz, witnessed a decrease of two percentage points and currently stands in third place with 14%.
However, 31% of respondents declared that they would not vote for any of the three contenders mentioned. Forsa did not publish survey results for the current candidates for the CDU chair, Merz, Laschet, and Röttgen. As for political competence, the Greens gained three percentage points over the past week, albeit at a negligible level, with 9% of German citizens expressing their trust in the party to resolve the nation's issues. Trust in the SPD lags behind, with only 5% expressing confidence in the party, while 43% trust the CDU/CSU, with a marginal increase of one percentage point compared to the previous week. 39% of respondents expressed no confidence in any party to manage Germany's problems.
The ongoing debate over direct Chancellor elections and the public's faith in elected officials is a reflection of broader disillusionment with the existing political landscape. The stagnant growth and shifting political allegiances, exemplified by the rise of the far-right AfD, have led to a growing sense of dissatisfaction among citizens.
However, a wave of public support specific to the direct election of the Chancellor akin to a presidential system has yet to materialize. Key figures like Söder, Habeck, and Scholz command varying levels of popularity, though there is no indication of a groundswell of public opinion advocating for any one individual to become the directly elected Chancellor.
In recent years, Germany has grappled with issues such as technocratic governance and a perceived disconnect between politicians and voters. As a result, many citizens have perceived disillusionment, contributing to the AfD's surge in poll numbers. Though the desire for more direct democratic participation in some domains exists, a widespread trend championing direct Chancellor elections remains absent.
The data collected for this survey was based on a sample of 2,501 respondents.
Photo: Markus Söder, via dts Nachrichtenagentur
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- In the polls, Markus Söder leads other contenders for the Chancellor position, but the trend of having a directly elected Chancellor like in a presidential system is yet to gain significant minority support.
- Discussions on direct Chancellor elections and trust in the political landscape are part of the broader general-news landscape in Germany, reflecting citizens' disillusionment with the political status quo and the rise of policy-and-legislation-centric parties like the far-right AfD.
