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Germans unhappy with performance of Merkel's coalition: survey
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 04 - 05 - 2007


Most Germans are unhappy with the performance of
Angela Merkel's ruling coalition but the chancellor is by far the
most popular politician in the country, a survey showed Friday.
Support for the grand alliance of Merkel's conservative Christian
Democrats and the left-of-centre Social Democrats has eroded, despite
a booming economy and falling unemployment, according to the poll by
the ARD television channel, REPORTED DPA.
Some 72 per cent of the 1,000 people questioned in the survey felt
the 18-month-old coalition was more involved with its own problems
than with those facing Germany.
Two-thirds said they were dissatisfied with the work of the
government, but a similar number - 62 per cent - felt the time was
not yet ripe for a change of administration.
The two parties in the coalition have clashed in recent weeks over
such issues as counter-terrorism, family policy, abolition of
inheritance tax and calls for a minimum wage.
Some 71 per cent of those surveyed said the coalition did not pay
enough attention to the interests of workers, but nevertheless 59 per
cent were happy with the robust recovery made by Europe's biggest
economy.
Merkel, who has gained from the publicity surrounding Germany's
joint presidencies of the European Union and Group of Eight wealthy
nations, saw her approval rating remain steady at 70 per cent.
But Social Democrat leader Kurt Beck saw his popularity slump from
44 per cent in April to 38 per cent this month. Only 23 per cent said
they would vote for Beck in a direct election for chancellor - his
lowest rating since being elected party chairman a year ago.
Beck, who is not a member of the government, has been struggling
to establish a profile in the face of dwindling support for the
Social Democrats among the electorate.
The Social Democrats have seen their support plummet to 27 per
cent in opinion polls compared to 34 per cent for Merkel's party,
which has seized the initiative on a range of issues usually
considered Social Democrat territory.


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