Germany’s Schroeder says he still has fighting chance

BERLIN – German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday the tide was turning in his favour one week ahead of elections he has been tipped to lose against conservative challenger Angela Merkel He was speaking after a poll showed the gap between their parties narrowing.

“Wherever I go, I encounter a lot of support. The tide is turning,” Schroeder was quoted as telling the Sunday edition of Bild newspaper.”At the end of the day, it is the voters who decide who will become their next chancellor,” he added.Schroeder, who has held the post for seven years, has seen support for his Social Democrats jump by two points since he put in the stronger performance in a television duel with Merkel last Sunday.According to a survey released on Friday by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen institute for ZDF public television, the Social Democrats’ support stands at 34 per cent while backing for Merkel’s conservative Christian Union alliance has dropped by two points to 41 per cent.The results of the ZDF survey confirmed a trend measured in separate polls this week by three other independent opinion research institutes.Though analysts said the gap remains too big to close, the survey still gives a strong boost to Schroeder who was lagging 20 points behind Merkel in June.Friday’s survey also indicated that the conservatives and their favoured coalition partner, the Free Democrats, would fall just short of the 48,5 per cent of votes needed for a governing majority.If this forecast proves accurate on election day, the most likely outcome of the vote will be a grand coalition between Merkel’s alliance and the Social Democrats with her as chancellor.But some of her allies fear that this would make it impossible to implement reforms intended to push-start Germany’s spluttering economy.Schroeder has slammed Merkel’s reform vision cold and inhuman, while her party has accused his of trying to spread fear among voters.- Nampa-AFPThe tide is turning,” Schroeder was quoted as telling the Sunday edition of Bild newspaper.”At the end of the day, it is the voters who decide who will become their next chancellor,” he added.Schroeder, who has held the post for seven years, has seen support for his Social Democrats jump by two points since he put in the stronger performance in a television duel with Merkel last Sunday.According to a survey released on Friday by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen institute for ZDF public television, the Social Democrats’ support stands at 34 per cent while backing for Merkel’s conservative Christian Union alliance has dropped by two points to 41 per cent.The results of the ZDF survey confirmed a trend measured in separate polls this week by three other independent opinion research institutes.Though analysts said the gap remains too big to close, the survey still gives a strong boost to Schroeder who was lagging 20 points behind Merkel in June.Friday’s survey also indicated that the conservatives and their favoured coalition partner, the Free Democrats, would fall just short of the 48,5 per cent of votes needed for a governing majority.If this forecast proves accurate on election day, the most likely outcome of the vote will be a grand coalition between Merkel’s alliance and the Social Democrats with her as chancellor.But some of her allies fear that this would make it impossible to implement reforms intended to push-start Germany’s spluttering economy.Schroeder has slammed Merkel’s reform vision cold and inhuman, while her party has accused his of trying to spread fear among voters. – Nampa-AFP